Suggest modification to this talk

Title

Description

Date

Summarized using AI?

If this talk's summary was generated by AI, please check this box. A "Summarized using AI" badge will be displayed in the summary tab to indicate that the summary was generated using AI.

Show "Summarized using AI" badge on summary page

Summary

Markdown supported

In her talk at RubyConf AU 2016, Saron Yitbarek shares her journey from a non-technical role to becoming a coder, emphasizing the importance of community in the learning process. She reflects on her initial struggle with coding and how she formed a group called Code Club with friends to increase their coding skills by reading and analyzing code together.

Key points of the talk include:  
- **Personal Journey:** Saron recounts her experience transitioning from non-technical roles in startups to learning how to code for herself.  
- **The Dreyfus Model:** She introduces the Dreyfus model of skill acquisition, highlighting the phases from novice to expert and her personal experiences in each phase.  
- **Creating Code Club:** Saron discusses how they established Code Club to regularly read exemplary code, emphasizing the importance of choosing manageable codebases, specifically not exceeding 100 lines, to foster understanding.  
- **Learning from Code:** Throughout their sessions, they learned to engage with both good and bad code. They realized that critiquing poorly written code led to valuable discussions and better understanding. She notes the significance of having group members participate actively and maintaining roles, such as a rotating tour guide, to ensure engagement.  
- **Embracing Community:** Saron illustrates how building a supportive community was crucial during her learning journey. She founded the #CodeNewbie Twitter chat to create a space for learners to connect and discuss their challenges, leading to the development of various resources, including an online forum and podcasts.  
- **Changing Formats:** Eventually, Saron explored different formats for Code Club, including fixed tour guide-led sessions, while retaining the initial eight guidelines about learning in groups.  
- **Key Takeaway:** The talk concludes with a powerful message about overcoming the fear of learning alone by fostering connections within the coding community, encouraging attendees to support each other in their coding journeys.

Saron’s story showcases the value of collaboration and support among learners in the tech field, making the road to coding mastery less daunting and more inclusive.

Cancel