Tom's Blog

Learning Plan

Core blog post 19 January 2023 / Updated 07 February 2023

What is your long term goal or career pathway?

This still hasn't changed much from before the foundation.I still want to become a software developer and work on numerous projects. At this stage, I am not 100% sure which field of software developer I want to pursue, but I want to be able to join a dev team where I can receive good mentorship to continue my ever growing learning passion.

What do you think your biggest strengths and limitations will be in Bootcamp?

My critical thinking skills are my biggest strength when learning. I enjoy analyzing issues and using logic to find solutions. Due to my history as a pharmacist, I pay close attention to detail, have an open mind regarding problem-solving, and have a strong sense of determination to overcome obstacles and keep working on a problem until it is resolved.

My limitation is still not knowing when to take a break. When I get stuck on a problem or a challenge, I often dive really deep into it and work towards that challenge without knowing to take a break. This can lead to my mind being blocked and my efficiency in learning can drop. I often realize that taking a break from the challenge and coming back with a fresh mind can solve the problem much more easily as I can come with a fresh mind. I have slowly managed to take routine breaks throughout the foundation but it is something I want to improve further.

What do you think your biggest non-technical challenge at Bootcamp will be?

I have not experienced much in pair programming. Most of the foundation was just working through the sprints by myself. It will be a welcoming challenge to work alongside fellow students to develop collaboration skills.

What non-technical skills - human skills - would you like to see developed in yourself while at Dev Academy?

This still hasn’t changed much from the start of foundation. Most important human skill I value is collaborative skills. We quickly realize that life is full of challenges and obstacles and solving everything by yourself is near impossible. Working together collaboratively in a team can overcome challenges and obstacles more efficiently and we can achieve much more! So I want to make sure I develop my collaborative skills during my time in Dev Academy .

What are your expectations from the Bootcamp team?

My expectation from the bootcamp team is simple. Help me become a good programmer. I expect to learn the techniques and skills required to be a programmer and not be spoon feed with all the information to me. I expect challenges which can help to apply these skills in real situations. I expect the team to check up on me and tell me if I am going the wrong direction and provide me constructive feedback.

What are your expectations of yourself on Bootcamp

My expectation coming into bootcamp is to have a growth mindset. I will not focus on looking nice or smart but focus on learning and developing. I will not feel embarrassed to seek help and will understand that asking for help after spending time to solve a problem is part of the learning journey.

I will endeavor to not slack off and get all the tasks and challenges on time and openly collaborate with others to work productively and safely. At the same time, I will make sure I will check my wellbeing, ensure that I take adequate breaks and continue exercise so that I am fit throughout the bootcamp.

What is your long term goal or career pathway?

It is quite simple, become a software developer and work on numerous projects. At this stage, I am not 100% sure which field of software developer I want to pursue, but I want to be able to join a dev team where I can receive good mentorship to continue my ever growing learning passion.

A description of your strengths and limitations when it comes to learning

My biggest strength in learning is my attitude. I always love learning new things and trialing out new things. I always have a can-do attitude and always give it my best when learning something new. I don’t tend to give up when I hit an obstacle and find other ways to solve the obstacles.

My limitations can come from not knowing when to take a break. When I get stuck on a problem or a challenge, I often dive really deep into it and work towards that challenge without knowing to take a break. This can lead to my mind being blocked and my efficiency in learning can drop. I often realize that taking a break from the challenge and coming back with a fresh mind can solve the problem much more easily as I can come with a fresh mind.

To overcome this limitation, I need to work on keeping with the timeboxing, and building up the habit of time-tracking. I need to take breaks from challenges and not be stuck on one problem for excessive amount of time

What skills (non-technical core/human skills) would you like to see developed in yourself while at Dev Academy?

Most important human skill I value is collaborative skills. We quickly realize that life is full of challenges and obstacles and solving everything by yourself is near impossible. Working together collaboratively in a team can overcome challenges and obstacles more efficiently and we can achieve much more! So I want to make sure I develop my collaborative skills during my time in Dev Academy .

A commitment to how you will manage your workload in this programme.

I believe that the most important commitment I need to make is to keep my body well. Feeling fresh, and generally well is very important to manage my workload. If I don’t eat properly or exercise routinely, my system can break and this can disrupt my productivity. In addition, making sure the work is done more consistently rather than cramming all the work into a shorter amount of time is important.

I will also be committed to help others where I can. If there is something I know which can help someone, I will gladly help the person as I know if I get stuck on something, someone else can help me fill in my gaps. It is all about working collaboratively. Just as importantly, if the workload is building up and starting to get me, I will be honest and raise my hands for help and not struggle alone and decrease productivity.

A commitment as to how and where you will seek help in a timely way

I will try to keep to the suggested timebox on a problem and if I go beyond this, I know it will be time for me to ask for help. I will firstly open the relevant channel in the discord and explain concisely what I am trying to do and what I have tried so far. I will not be expecting straight answers but working together to come to a solution. I will be patient and if there is no one who can help with the problem, I could move on with another challenge in the meantime rather than pinging everyone continuously.

I will also be committed to let David and Naomi know if there is anything going on outside of the course which I may need some help on.

A description of what you expect from the Facilitation team

My expectation from the facilitation team is simple, be a kind mentor. I expect the facilitation team to help mentor me through the course and kindly support me when I need help. Providing constructive feedback can also be effective in my learning. I do not expect answers to challenges to be spoon fed to me but a guidance towards the right direction if I am going a completely wrong direction.

Any scheduling information such as block-out times when you are committed to other things. For example, you might have whānau commitments like school drop-offs. It's important to plan these in.

There is not much scheduling information that I am committed to as I have changed most of my other commitments to fit the course’s schedule. Just in week 5 from 9th of February to 12th of February I will be going to Australia for a friend's wedding. I will try to do most of the sprint’s work before I go and I will also be taking my laptop with me to do my final polishing there.