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Jacob Wisniewski
9,111 PointsFinding Build a Simple Rails Application to be much more helpful than ODOT Course
I just wanted to provide some feedback on some courses I've recently taken.
Initially to learn Rails development I was following the Rails track provided, but upon reaching the ODOT course I found myself so confused that I thought for sure I had missed something. Eventually, feeling like it wasn't beneficial to my learning, I gave up and started looking to outside learning resources to broaden my knowledge on Ruby.
Today out of curiosity I checked out the Build a Simple Rails Application course and while outdated, I found it MUCH more helpful and I now feel like I am understanding the Rails framework. I feel like the problem may be that ODOT starts with testing, with little to no explanation so I had no idea what was going on.
Either way I've now managed to start grasping Rails and have now really fallen in love with it. Thanks Treehouse!
4 Answers
Jason Seifer
Treehouse Guest TeacherHey Jacob Wisniewski thanks a lot for the feedback! I'm planning on redoing when testing is introduced next time I refresh the Rails course. Sorry for the trouble and thank you for the constructive criticism.
Ryan Carson
23,287 PointsThanks for your feedback. I'm copying in Jason Seifer so he hears this.
Michelle Cannito
8,992 PointsI have to agree. The reason the Build a Simple Rails Application is so much better for a beginner is because the instructors explain everything. They show a problem, explain what needs to be done, and explain the steps to get there. They go over every command, every method used, and the syntax. They explain why and how.
rspec is rather complicated. I don't think it should be introduced until people have at least a rudimentary knowledge of Rails
I think both courses should be in the track, because it is important to learn test-driven development and rspec. But the older Rails course should come first
So, how about just adding comments in the instructor area for differences for the latest Rails and Ruby versions? Or have an update video after each regular one? Since the regular video explains everything, the update one can be very brief.
Also, you should include both Mac and Windows updates. Clear does not work on a Windows command prompt console, buy CLS does. It stands for clear screen. There are lots of differences. I bet you will retain more PC subscribers if your courses weren't almost entirely Mac centered.
Andrés Fernández
29,125 PointsI agree with the comments too. I'm currently following along the ODOT list project, and I have to watch each video many times and look for info in other places to have some understanding about what's going on. I think by the time one reaches the project on the Ruby track, there are so many intellectual gaps to be filled and some many things that students ignore so that the new concepts underlaying the building of the ODOT app are too much to be digested in single view.
From my point of view, the Ruby track should include some course about MVC architecture and some more explanations about the way rails works before reaching the ODOT list project in order to avoid the confusions about models, views, controllers, specs and routes and how they interact with themselves.
Just keep up the good work guys!, you're doing pretty well.