As some of my blog-followers know, I’m taking Java this semester and to put it mildly, it ain’t easy! For some reason I haven’t Googled video tutorials for Java, although I have stumbled upon a few which I very much enjoy. Well, now I have pages and pages of them. My favorite one this week is this one http://www.javavideotutes.com/lessons/play/9/
The author has a huge list of tutorials, which would have come in handy earlier in the semester, but I will be sure to make use of them now. I like the step-by-step approach the author uses. I found it helpful that he shows different variations of code, compiles and prints out again so we can see the program’s output.
There were two things that stood out as well. The author made a couple minor mistakes which made the code not compile, so we got to see what the mistakes were and how they were corrected. Also at the end, he stated that it would take watching the tutorial about 10 times before the information would sink in, unless of course you were a genius. Which, well, I’m not. 😦
So it made me feel good that I’m not the only one that needs to read the same things over and over…and over. Video tutorials are a wonderful way to learn and very important in education. If we are in class, there is really no way to remember everything our teachers say and do. Being able to re-watch specific and pertinent information at anytime we need a review is very empowering. How many times do things look easy when the teacher is doing it, only to find out later when attempting to try on our own, that it is, in fact, very difficult?
If this week has taught me anything, it is the importance of video tutorials. Our own professor has wonderful step-by-step tutorials that are very easy to follow along. Never will I forget to create a tutorial for my students so they may review if they wish!
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