Using Small Basic and MSDN (a self-paced Learning & Development Map)
Today's guest blogger is Jibba Jabba. Read his full article here...
Development Map for Becoming a Good Programmer Using Small Basic and MSDN
The following is an example of a self-paced Learning & Development Map using some free and available resources (listed below). It’s not intended to be the only way but may give you some ideas that may help you develop one suitable for yourself. Formal education and employment are generally considered to be the best sources of education and experience.
Practice and experience are what this map is trying to help you get started with. Getting in some regular practice time, whatever you can responsibly manage will be conducive to learning.
Setting completion times to accomplish your goals is a great way to assess your progress.
My map was as roughly as follows:
- At the start of each month I would set my goal.
- At the end of each month I would assess my progress by how much of the material I had covered and if I could successfully solve the monthly challenges and ‘show what you know’ exercises in the curriculum.
- My self-assessment would then help me set my goals for the next month. For example:
Month |
Reading & Doing |
Method |
One |
Curriculum 1.1 to 1.5 Related Chapters in the Manual Related threads on the forum Wiki tips e.g. https://social.technet.microsoft.com/wiki/ contents/articles/15081.small-basic-programming-tips.aspx Attempt related monthly challenges |
Read and do the curriculum and it’s samples. Attempt the show what you know, then check and do it as done in the curriculums solution. While doing the above check the manual for related material. (there’s some great samples and more depth there). While doing this check the forum for any related threads and ask questions on anything I didn’t understand. Do and post my solutions to related monthly challenges. Post comments there on any problems I had and invite feedback when needed. Read the samples of other people’s solutions to the challenges, with an open mind. If someone did it differently to me then I wanted to know why, and often found out why by doing it that way myself. Proceed to the next Chapter of the curriculum once I was convinced I understood all of it and could do the exercises and related challenges.
|
Two |
Curriculum 2.1 to 2.4 Take a peek at Curriculum 3.5 And same as above |
Same as above |
Three |
Curriculum 2.4 to 3.3 Stacks & Arrays: visit LitDevs web page and download the Samples. Start reading and do some of the Arrays sample. And same as above |
Same as above |
Four |
Curriculum 3.4 to 3.6 Redo Curriculum 3.2 Continue LitDevs Arrays sample |
Same as above Keep working through LitDevs Arrays samples See next month for Curriculum 3.4 |
Five |
Curriculum 4.1 Curriculum 3.4 ‘Show what you know’ |
Same as above Curriculum 3.4 ‘Show what you know’ exercise at the end. The sample solution to this is very difficult to follow. Do some of the easier challenges as well |
The curriculum: download a copy of the curriculum to your hard drive (just in case the link fails).
https://social.technet.microsoft.com/wiki/contents/articles/16299.small-basic-curriculum.aspx
The reference manual: An introduction to Programming. This is located in the Small Basic program directory. C:\...\Small Basic\IntroducingSmallBasic.pdf
The Small Basic forum: https://social.msdn.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/home?forum=smallbasic
Thanks again to Jibba Jabba.
Read the rest of the article here:
Development Map for Becoming a Good Programmer Using Small Basic and MSDN
Enjoy!
- Ninja Ed