"UX Design Patterns (2018 Version)" was retired on March 8, 2022. You are now viewing the recommended replacement.

Welcome to the Treehouse Community

Want to collaborate on code errors? Have bugs you need feedback on? Looking for an extra set of eyes on your latest project? Get support with fellow developers, designers, and programmers of all backgrounds and skill levels here with the Treehouse Community! While you're at it, check out some resources Treehouse students have shared here.

Looking to learn something new?

Treehouse offers a seven day free trial for new students. Get access to thousands of hours of content and join thousands of Treehouse students and alumni in the community today.

Start your free trial

General Discussion

Posted by Sako Kassabian
Sako Kassabian
13,796 Points

Why I hate code challenges and quizzes on Treehouse

FYI, There is a TL;DR at the end.

I absolutely love Treehouse's approach to their videos. Usually very short with good pacing. However, one of my biggest pain points are the code challenges and how they are structured. The quizzes are a smaller issue, though they can be frustrating as well.

Here is what I mean:

Over the course of a few years, I've used a lot of different websites for tutorials. CodeSchool, LearnVisualStudio, PluralSight, etc. Treehouse, I feel, 'got it' and understood how to teach people with 0 knowledge. I've learned a lot here. However, when it comes to the challenges, CodeSchool, specifically, gets this area much better.

Main Issue: very very limited hint system. While Treehouse provides minimal guidance, it gets frustrating very quickly if I am stuck and can't go forward. Asking the community is a hit or miss and I will have to wait for an answer, at the very least. There are many times where I've gotten frustrated and left the website for a while. From a UX standpoint, this is definitely a concern.

I enjoy how CodeSchool does it where you can get up to 3 hints and the last one reveals the answer. I know that the initial reaction is that, 'You don't learn anything by being spoon fed' but it's also very useful to see the answer and work out how to get there at times. I'm not saying copy what CodeSchool does, but consider some sort of approach.

Quizzes: The biggest issue here is that, in most cases, I'm not told why my answer is wrong. I've noticed that the message for a lot of them is something like, "Bummer! ..." which causes me to redo and randomly choose another answer (if I'm really in the dark about it). On the flip side, a decent amount of correct answers give me a little tidbit about why my answer was correct.

TL;DR — Would be nice to have a better hint system in code challenges to lessen frustration and churn. Tell me why I'm wrong in the quizzes.

vetahccsob
vetahccsob
7,345 Points

I've just started today and this is one of my main issues so far! I wish this could be changed!

Steven Parker
Steven Parker
243,160 Points
Steven Parker
Steven Parker
243,160 Points

It's been a while, but according to this other post it looks like a mechanism to give hints got recently implemented!

6 Answers

Ozhan Saat
PLUS
Ozhan Saat
Courses Plus Student 4,002 Points
Ozhan Saat
Ozhan Saat
Courses Plus Student 4,002 Points

I disagree with you completely. I've been working on my own app and got stuck on an issue for several days. The solution turned out to be very simple but it mean't I had to go back and explore concepts I thought I already knew and understood. Once I understood what was going on in the code it took me two minutes to solve it and I will NEVER have that same problem again.

The quizzes serve their purpose. If they gave up the answer after three attempts it would be completely useless.

Sako Kassabian
Sako Kassabian
13,796 Points

I agree with you, in that it's very good to struggle through issues. Let me give you an example of what I mean that may help explain it better.

I was working on c# objects last night and was doing the exception handling code challenge. I typed it up how I thought it should be and it was wrong. I went back and watched the video again a couple of times. Did what they did in the video and it was still wrong. Looked at the exception being thrown and couldn't figure out why. I'm not asking for hand holding as that isn't very good, but giving me a better idea of where I am messing up would be really appreciated.

Zachary Kaufman
Zachary Kaufman
1,463 Points
Zachary Kaufman
Zachary Kaufman
1,463 Points

I agree with your assessment on quizzes, they should probably help with what you did wrong. I understand why they don't want to give a lot of hints for the challenges because they want to see if you can do it on your own, but I also agree with you, asking the community for help often takes longer then we have. I know I am not the only one that doesn't have unlimited amount of time to take these classes and often I have time to wait for a response. Overall I love Treehouse and it is my favorite programming class I have taken and I know I will stick with it for a while to come :)

Tushar Singh
PLUS
Tushar Singh
Courses Plus Student 8,692 Points
Tushar Singh
Tushar Singh
Courses Plus Student 8,692 Points

I totally disagree. Quizzes and challenges are super easy on treehouse, the only condition is you pay attention to the videos. Yes literally super easy.And super easy doesn't mean You don't get stuck, it simply means you have to go through the videos again.

Alan Pietrzyk
Alan Pietrzyk
3,787 Points
Alan Pietrzyk
Alan Pietrzyk
3,787 Points

I have a similar experience on quizzes as to what Zac and Sako have said. For the most part it's very straightforward but the odd time after reviewing the video a couple times and retrying I just need to leave it for a few days and come back with a clearer head.

garyguermantokman
garyguermantokman
21,097 Points
garyguermantokman
garyguermantokman
21,097 Points

I agree with Tushar Singh the quizzes​ and code challenge help to solidify your understanding. You have to pay attention during the videos and write down concepts. Look at the video transcripts after and write down concepts so you will remember them. This makes passing the challenges and quizzes extremely easy.

channonhall
channonhall
12,247 Points

I Agree with him too But When Sako Said

Let me give you an example of what I mean that may help explain it better.

I was working on c# objects last night and was doing the exception handling code challenge. I typed it up how I thought it should be and it was wrong. I went back and watched the video again a couple of times. Did what they did in the video and it was still wrong. Looked at the exception being thrown and couldn't figure out why. I'm not asking for hand holding as that isn't very good, but giving me a better idea of where I am messing up would be really appreciated.

I Kind of Agree with Tushar And Agree with Sako...And sometimes Its not Extremely Easy (For Some people)...

Jude Legendre
Jude Legendre
1,203 Points
Jude Legendre
Jude Legendre
1,203 Points

I just started the front end web development track. Totally new to programming.

My issue with the quizzes is some of them don't allow you to choose another answer.

So it's like the answer you chose was wrong, bummer , next question...

How am i supposed to know what the right answer is?