Communication Policy
This policy is intended to ensure you are successful in this program. In all cases, more communication is better. The guidelines below are meant to help structure our communication for the best results.
Please mark this section complete with the button above once you have read it and are comfortable with it.
We will be using a program called Slack for the majority of our online conversations. This is vastly preferred over email for a variety of reasons. In addition to being an instant messaging application, it can also handle group chat, has numerous integrations with other services, and is easily searchable. You can read more about how to use Slack on their website.
Class Participation
There will be many times during class when I will ask for participation. This may come in the form of an answer to a question, a request for questions, a volunteer to show their solution to a problem, or many other ways. Your participation can only help you succeed. You can read more about how to frame your mind for success in the Mindset section, but I highly encourage you to push past any mental barriers and welcome this new environment, however uncomfortable it might make you! We are all here to help you succeed.
Asking Questions
You should always feel comfortable asking your instructor questions. Asking questions is vital to your success in this course, and well-formed questions are the best route to finding answers. So what is a well-formed question? Let’s look at some examples:
Poorly-Formed Questions:
- I don’t understand your lecture code.
- Why doesn’t any of my code work?
- How do I start the homework?
Well-Formed Versions of the Questions Above:
- In lecture you used the
append()function here [show code]. I would expect it to do X, I don’t understand why it did Y. Can you explain that?- I expected this code [show code] to do X, it actually does Y. Can you help me understand why, and what I need to change to produce X?
- I’m having trouble starting the homework. I want to start by implementing X, and I know I need some HTML, but I’m not sure what tags to use.
Video on Giving and Getting Technical Help
Tips for Success
- Asking for help is always encouraged.
- More communication is better than less.
- A peer is better than a google search.
- A google search is better than staring into the abyss(†).
- Stargazing is better than giving up.
- “I don’t understand” is a valid question to ask.
- Sharing is good, but always include a source. Do not spread misinformation.
- Be open and honest when you are struggling, feeling behind, or overwhelmed.
† Don’t stare into the Abyss
You can read more tips about how to (and why we) communicate about code.