Study Strategies

Succeeding in your ReDI course requires more than just attending sessions. The following strategies will help you make the most of your learning journey and develop the skills needed for a career in web development.

1. Planning

The first part of studying should be to make a study plan. Your homework will consist of various components:

1. Live interaction in the classes with your teachers

2. Homework & Projects - where you apply what you learned

Homework & Projects: Homework & projects take most of your time each week. Depending on your course, it can be between 10 - 15 hours! Break down your homework & project milestones into smaller, manageable tasks and allocate time for each. Start working on assignments early rather than waiting until the deadline approaches.

• read/watch a certain amount of information (watch class recordings, read further articles)

• apply this knowledge in the homework exercises

• prepare questions for the next session

Planning helps to allocate time to coding. Remember, you are in charge of your learning journey!

2. Don't Just Read, Code It!

Reading about programming concepts or watching demonstrations isn't enough to develop coding skills. Your journey at ReDI is all around practical, hands-on experience. Each week, you will receive a new homework or project milestone to work on. Try to complete the homework entirely. Try to experiment with the code.

• Dedicate time to code daily, even if it's just 30 minutes - consistency is more effective than occasional long sessions.

• Don't be afraid to experiment beyond the requirements - try alternative approaches and explore "what if" scenarios.

• When stuck, try solving the problem yourself before seeking help - this builds critical problem-solving muscles.

3. Ask Questions!

Many students find it hard to ask questions during the classes and online (through Slack or otherwise). However, becoming a good programmer means you dare to ask many questions. Some companies even have a rule: If you are stuck, you have one hour to solve the problem. If you cannot, you have to ask for help. At ReDI School, there are several ways to ask for help:

• Ask your classmate or a student from your course

• Ask in Slack (preferably in your classroom channel)

• Approach a teacher during breaks or through Slack in a group

• Ask ReDI staff to connect you to a graduate or teacher

Remember that several other students likely have the same confusion for each question you ask but are too hesitant to voice it.