New ReactJS Course & AI Tips 🔥

Howdy all :)

Everybody loves ReactJS - anytime I make a course on something other than ReactJS I always smile at how many kind individuals request more ReactJS content! The least I could do is listen to the people, and so I’m super pleased with the new ReactJS course and the project that we build within. Together in the course we build a word memory app that uses a spaced-repetition learning algorithm to gradually expose the user to a complex english list that I have been created from a book series that I love.

It’s a super cool project and the course is very friendly so it’s appropriate for all ReactJS ability levels! Watch it here →

If you have any project requests or if there are videos you would like to see more of, be sure to reply to this email and let me know.

I was also reflecting on AI this week and was trying to think of my favorite ways to use it that don’t come at the detriment of ones programming abilities. For me, I think the best way to use it for new programmers is task design. Task design is a critical part of learning to code, and it’s one that isn’t really discussed very often. Instead, what we often hear is people saying ‘this project is way too hard for me’, or, ‘I can’t do it because I don’t know everything I would need to start’.

These kind of statements are very relatable, but what I’ve found is that users internalize these experiences as a form of failure, thinking that they are inadequate programmers. But the reality is that the task is just inappropriate for the users ability level.

Effective learning happens when we create tasks that fall within Vygotsky's zone of proximal development - a zone where tasks are the perfect difficulty level to gently yet effectively extend a users capability and knowledge of a subject.

So when a project is too hard, we actually just need to find one more appropriate instead of considering ourselves failures haha - and that’s where AI comes in.

I found I can ask AI for a simple project idea that demonstrates the core concepts of a new framework. That’s literally it. Ask for 10 ideas, pick one that sounds fun, and look at it as a challenge to learn something new and apply your existing knowledge. Ask the AI to break down the core development steps and give a brief explanation of how each concept is used to build out such features and before you know it, you’ll be rocketing off towards success and you’ll have a new, nifty project to add to your portfolio. Not to mention you’ll be ready to advance on to something a little more sophisticated with your new knowledge and skills.

Food for thought aye!

Just before I sign off, I thought I’d let you know that some new sit-down chat and code along videos will be going up on my second YouTube channel → if that sounds like something you’re interested in then be sure to check out the channel for some extra content!

Peace out,

James