Weeks 5-7
More Laughs, More Tears, and More Red Bull
When I was looking into different boot camps, I noticed that Makers usually ran for a few more weeks than the others. In terms of the content that was covered, though, there wasn't a great deal of difference. This extra time was due to their focus on collective projects rather than just one project, as is the case in many other boot camps.
The group projects were awesome. They really helped to consolidate everything that had been learned until that moment in the boot camp. Not only did the projects allow me to identify my own strong points and areas where I could use more work, but they also provided a unique opportunity to get a taste of what it might be like working on a team in a professional environment. Additionally, the group sessions were fun, albeit frustrating at times, and pushed me to want to code more. I found these incredibly helpful, but I guess I'll be able to go into more detail about each project later on.
The First Project: Grade Absent
Although I'm usually the type of person who has the details of the next few months planned out meticulously, I managed to make an epic fail this time around. You know when you accidentally book a trip, pay for it and then sit on the plane? Well, that's exactly what happened - I had an entire week of projects scheduled, and I accidentally booked a holiday right in the middle of it. Okay, maybe I did so intentionally, and it was probably not my best decision, but at least I got a nice tan out of it.
Afterwards, I did get the chance to discuss the project with my peers. All the teams of six were assigned the same task, and the Makers had already done a lot of the work for them. This was a blessing in disguise, as it allowed them to work on the project without the added stress of not knowing where to begin.
Learn JavaScript and Web Development, Quick!
In week 8 of the course, we began learning JavaScript and web development. Since I already had a good grip on Ruby, I found learning JavaScript wasn't too hard. However, I think I could have done with a little extra time on it, as web development is quite a detailed beast. I can't help feeling that if we hadn't spent so long on Ruby, it might have accommodated more time for JavaScript and web development. I do have to say that you do end up learning a good amount in these two weeks, and I required a lot of time outside of Makers to keep up.
Deal or No Deal?
As the rest of the course was projects, I feel like I can evaluate if the course was worth the money. The course was definitely comprehensive and helpful. I may not have been in agreement with the content of each and every lesson, but I do feel like I would have taken twice as long to reach the same level of understanding if I had studied independently.
With regards to the coaches (Hi Peter!), they didn’t add much value to the course. Don't get me wrong; they were there to help if needed. But they didn’t do much other than a few workshops. Ideally, I would have wanted better communication, organisation and more coding support, such as identifying and clarifying common issues students may face.
Overall, I would say that the course was worth it for me. I learned a lot, but more importantly, I gained the skill of knowing how to study coding. Now, if I want to learn a language or framework independently, I feel more prepared and confident in my ability to do so.
However, I can only give an opinion about the course from an educational perspective. The Makers Academy Bootcamp isn't just selling the learning element of the course; it’s also selling a dream of a career and a well-paying job upon graduation. Thus, we have to consider education and future prospects before coming to a final conclusion (keep an eye out for it in a future blog).
Thus, for me, it was Deal! but there are many in my cohort whose tears, due to the lack of organisation and help, clearly scream No Deal! I am someone who values independent learning, and it worked out well for me. But if you prefer to be guided and taught by teachers, then save your money, as this is likely not the course for you.