Wk07/08: Final Learning Journal for CST338

 Wk07/08: Learning Journal Summary

Final Learning Journal for CST 338


Looking back at HW1, I remember struggling with formatting, print statements, and understanding the hasWon() logic. At the time, I focused mostly on just making my code work. Now, after completing more assignments and learning better coding practices, I would approach HW1 differently in a few ways. First, I would make sure to use proper Javadoc comments throughout the code instead of adding them last-minute. Second, I would break large methods like chooseWord() into smaller helper functions to improve readability and maintainability. After working with design patterns and testing strategies, I better understand how small structural changes can make code easier to test and understand.


One major victory is how much more confident I’ve become with writing clean, well-documented code. Back during HW1, I struggled with things like remembering to add Javadoc comments or managing method complexity. Now, I consistently write clear comments and break up my methods into smaller, testable parts without even thinking about it. Another big improvement is my understanding of control flow and unit testing. Early on, I was mostly guessing how to pass the tests, but now I can confidently write my own test cases, predict edge cases, and debug failures more efficiently. These skills have made me a much stronger and more deliberate programmer than I was at the start.

I have truly enjoyed this class and learned so much. I have grown as a person and teammate, being more patient and understanding. I look forward to the next course!

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Week 4 - Goals!

 Part 1: Set your Educational Goals My educational goal in the CS program is to graduate with a bachelor’s degree in computer science with a strong understanding of software development, systems architecture, and AI systems. I hope to continue to maintain a GPA of at least 3.5 or above, complete internships, and build a portfolio of coding projects. I will work to improve my problem solving skills and work well with my team members on projects. This goal motivates me to keep pushing because it goes further than graduating, it is the start of my life, my career. I will track my progress through grades, internships, and my ability to apply what I have learned to the real world. Part Two: Set your Career Goals My career goal is to become a systems architect at the well-known company, NVIDIA. Working on the design and optimization of hardware or software integration for AI and GPU based systems is a dream. I can see myself contributing to the next generation of computing solutions, whe...
Read more

Week 2 - Second week of class!

Image
Part 1: Review and Reflect Learning Strategy The top three items that I am good at is making a schedule, picking good study habits, and taking good notes. The top three items that I feel I am weak in is test taking, essay examinations, and not reading aloud to myself. I always try to follow the same schedule each week because I am a habitual person. I find repetition and using flash cards to help me study. I love taking notes, it helps me retain more information. I struggle in a testing environment because I get in my head, which is the same struggle when it comes to essay examinations. I enjoy reading my work or assignments out to myself because I feel like I do retain more, but I will try reading in my head to see if I benefit from this! Part 2: Preview Time Management Skills Part 3: Project Management Basics A project is a task that ends with accomplishing a goal or creating something. There are three things that describe a project as a whole, the time it will take to complete this ...
Read more

Week 4 - Interview with Industry Expert

Interview with Josh Hobson:      For this assignment I chose to interview my uncle, Josh Hobson, the current Direct of Technology at Santa Monica Studios, a well-known video game development company. He has a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science from California State University, Bakersfield, and a Master’s in Engineering from Arizona State University. I chose to interview him not only because of his many accomplishments, but because I have always admired his passion for technology and his creative mind. His experiences, from graphics programming to technical leadership, offered a unique and personal perspective on what success looks like in the gaming and technology industry.     Josh shared that his career passion began when he was young. His love for working on computers sparked an early interest in the field. He explained that his fascination with computer graphics ultimately led him to specialize in rendering systems, where he focused on per...
Read more