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RubyConf AU 2013: http://www.rubyconf.org.au How many companies are hiring Ruby developers right now? How many are finding qualified candidates? Why aren't workers swarming into our industry to fill up all these empty developer positions? Is learning Ruby really that hard? Why is learning Ruby so hard? Isn't it a language built by people for people? Shouldn't that be easy for anyone to pickup and use? Why isn't everyone building Ruby apps? I'm going to tell you. The good, the bad, and the goofy of trying to teach Ruby, Rails, and everything else we take for granted as RoR developers. There may even be a guest appearance from a real life Ruby Newbie to demonstrate!
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In her talk "Teaching Ruby for Fun and Profit" at RubyConf AU 2013, Renée De Voursney explores the challenges and rewards of teaching Ruby programming to newcomers. The presentation addresses the demand for Ruby developers in a rapidly growing tech industry and the surprising difficulty many experience in learning the language. **Key Points Discussed:** - **Community Engagement:** Renée emphasizes the importance of the Ruby community, known for its friendliness and collaborative spirit, which stems from creator Yukihiro Matsumoto’s philosophy, "Matz is nice, so we are nice." - **Learning Environment:** Despite the rich resources available for learning Ruby, including numerous online courses and workshops, many new developers still struggle to find success. - **Stephen’s Perspective:** Renée introduces a guest, Adam, who personifies a new learner's perspective. He illustrates the complexities of grasping fundamental coding concepts using relatable examples, such as comparing programming tasks to counting crayons. - **Challenges in Learning Ruby:** Renée outlines key challenges that newcomers face, including: - Navigating platform differences (Unix vs Mac) and the initial setup complexity for Ruby environments. - Understanding core concepts like version control systems (e.g., Git and GitHub) that are essential for modern development. - Grasping testing frameworks and dealing with the abundance of libraries (gems) and their sometimes confusing documentation. - **Teaching Strategies:** The importance of context in teaching programming concepts is highlighted. Renée advocates for tailored approaches based on students' prior experiences and emphasizes the need for educators to be attuned to the challenges faced by learners. - **Community Support:** Renée calls on experienced developers to provide support and encourage new entrants to the Ruby community, ensuring a welcoming atmosphere that fosters learning. **Conclusions and Takeaways:** - The Ruby community plays an essential role in supporting newcomers, and educators should focus on clarifying complex concepts to ease the learning curve. - Despite its challenges, Ruby offers a fun and rewarding experience for developers, and fostering an environment of kindness and assistance is crucial for attracting and retaining new talent. - Continuous reflection on teaching methods and learner engagement is vital to cultivating a positive learning experience in programming.
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