La Vie en Code

In this episode, I detail 10 things I've identified that new coders absolutely need to know before they begin teaching themselves the technical stuff. Why is this important? Every day, students start learning to code without any type of plan or goal. The end result is generally frustration, and eventual drop-off. Furthermore, many of these students are career changers, unhappy with their existing jobs, and unable to afford a loss. Everyone can learn to code, but it's not going to be easy, and I'm here to help set you up for success!

For show notes and transcript, visit the LVEC site: http://www.lavieencode.net/podcast/008-things-you-need-to-know

In this episode, I talk to my first in-person coding instructor and good mentor friend, George Mandis of Snaptortoise Development. George is a Portland, Oregon-based freelance web developer, who taught the first classroom-based web development bootcamp I attended when first learning to code, Code Academy at Mount Hood Community College. It turned out, I was already pretty advanced for the class, and he ended up being a great mentor to me!

For show notes and episode details, visit the LVEC Podcast site: http://www.lavieencode.net/podcast/007-lessons-from-code-academy-with-george-mandis

In part 2/2 of our interview, Barb and I talk about the value and power of career changers and self-taught coders, the concept of “second skilling”, why it’s important for anybody to learn programming principles, and we even get into some spicy discourse about the need to shake traditional academia free of well-meaning—but ultimately ineffective—teaching methods.

For show notes, key moments, and episode details, visit the episode page: http://www.lavieencode.net/podcast/006-science-of-learning-with-barbara-oakley-part-2.

In this two-part discussion, we welcome special guest Dr. Barbara Oakley, Professor of Engineering at Oakland University, to adapt some key topics from her record-setting Learning How to Learn and Mindshift Coursera courses and her new book (Mindshift: Break Through Obstacles to Learning and Discover Your Hidden Potential) to self-taught web development students.

Nicole opens up about her first web development position, in a story about why expectation (vs. reality) matters, and how our newbie coder experiences can affect our future career choices.

Self-Taught Student Talks is a sub-series of the LVEC podcast, highlighting self-taught students' accomplishments. This week, we meet Casey Bartholomew, a self-taught front-end web development student juggling full-time work while learning to code.

In episode 2, Nicole discusses the different ways that self-taught web development students learn, and provides some tips for how to get the most out of your education by leveraging those styles in your respective learning environment.

For the inaugural episode of the La Vie en Code podcast, Nicole talks about her own journey in self-taught web development, and how her life lined up perfectly to take the career change plunge.