What do you wish to know about JavaScript when you were in university?

Hey guys!

I was asked if I would like to make a couple of lectures at the university about plain JavaScript (basics). And I would love to but I'm not sure where to start.

So here we are. Some of us are years after school/uni and some of us are still there. What do you wish to know about JavaScript when you were in university? And what would you like to say to students right now?

Any tips, help, ideas or even articles are welcome! 😁

Comments

[spiritupbro]

i want to know how to create a directory structure like framework that in someway our project could be maintenable and reusable in the future

[Amal]

rater.in/jobs/

[Abod Micheal (he/him)]

Lol they didn't teach me JS in my university, just push and pop, shift and unshift in programming generally, what they would really need is understanding loops , I wrote an article on that and understanding functions and how to use it , then arrow functions then one very important one called call back function which I'm writing an article on, callback function is really useful n you'll find it in libraries and other JS frameworks

[Darius Njihia]

For absolute beginners,

1. I strongly believe that the only way to make them grasp the basic concepts is by showing them. I did not like the way we spend hours of lectures learning the theory only to be introduced to practicals mid-semester. For every theoretical concept you have, follow it up with a practical case scenario or even code. Seeing is believing
2. ALWAYS keep in mind that you are talking to beginners. Patience is key. Explain everything without assuming that they know something even if they do.

For students with some programming experience

1. Relate your lecture to the languages or concepts they already know. This makes them feel like they are adding to their body of knowledge rather than learning a new concept from scratch. Also remember to outline the differences between the 'language style' they know with the 'javascript style'

[Abdul wakeel]

Javascript is not only used for validation 😁

[Louis]

The biggest benefit of JavaScript (imo) is that it's crazily versatile. You can write your programmes either OOP-style or functional. Because of nodeJS and other frameworks it runs on every possible machine. And it's one of the most demanded languages out there.

Furthermore, it's super intuitive to write and boosts your creativity. In Java for example, there are lots of strict rules to be followed. In JS, you can hack stuff together how you like it.

[John Kazer]

It is true that you can 'use' JS quickly and for a lot of things. But in terms of learning the concepts of developing programs it causes a challenge by being un-opinionated - you have to create a 'way of doing things' yourself rather than being forced into an approach by the language.

So I would teach it as a route to jobs rather than a great way to learn CS concepts.

Also, a 'framework' like React/Angular/Vue isn't an app architecture, CS pattern or solid method of creating code - using them won't automatically make your code 'good', robust or maintainable.

[Allasel]

The main thing I would like to know is how to use my time more effectively when learning a language. In fact, studying at the university only bothers me, so I just order accounting help and other tasks on the site au.edubirdie.com/accounting - it always helps me out and I have more time to study coding.

[Mauricio Contreras]

That it was more than just form validation

[wuya666]

When I learned JavaScript in university more than 15 years ago (and the course was not really about JavaScript, but emerging web technologies at that time), it was just taught as a basic scripting lanugage for the web. I really wish I could have learned more about the prototype-based object system, the functional programming style, and its extreme flexibility other than just a basic scripting tool, I'd love to get introduced more to this "free-style" programming style different from the Fortran/Pascal/Basic/C++/Java ways (well, I did learn Lambda Calculus in university, which is different, but not really a practical programming language)

Also personally I like JavaScript as a programming language, well I know it might be one of the most hated (if not THE most hated) programming languages in history, and I like Rust/Python/Scheme/Haskell/Elixir/etc. too, and I have plenty of frustration with JavaScript's run-time "un-errors" and "landmines" myself, but IMHO JavaScript stands out as the most "free-style", non-opinionated and still very practical programming language out there. After many hours of coding works following the "pythonic way" and "Java design patterns", coding in JavaScript can feel like a breeze of fresh air.

That's why I think everyone should at least learn a bit of JavaScript, not just because of its ubiquity nowadays, but also it's one easy-to-learn language where you actually can delve deep into multiple vastly different programming paradigms and learn many different ways of thinking. Where most other popular programming languages nowadays tend to be biased towards a certain philosophy on how to solve certain problems best, JavaScript's philosophy seems to be do whatever you want in whatever way you choose.

[Michel Renaud]

It didn't exist. The web was barely starting. We were all excited about static pages filled with badly-formatted information. :)

[richardpaulhall]

"What do you wish to know about JavaScript when you were in university?"

Who was writing the language so I could contact them to make a better language.

"Especially these days, any program should teach JavaScript because of its ubiquity."

Only to get a job.
Programming should be taught in a good language to teach proper methods.
Only then you show them JavaScript.

[Mike Healy]

I would steal the outline of this Syntax FM episode to use as a guide:
syntax.fm/show/162/the-fundamental...

[Danstan Otieno Onyango]

I didn't study coding at the University so I wish I knew some JavaScript then 😂
Man I would be far! 😂

[Ben Dowen]

I did Bunch of JavaScript at University. Although all things JavaScript have moved on significantly since then.