Retrospective notes

pcs-20150902-jsi-retrospective.txt

JavaScript Immersion Retrospective 20150902
	* Please feel free to edit and add to this etherpad. You can remain anonymous if you wish.
	* If you prefer, you can send us anonymous feedback at https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1Ix-5grMUdFm00ilb4_EqCLUd5jfJaOC900r-kfUHjqk/viewform
	* And, please contact Kristina, Cris, or Collaine if you have concerns that you would prefer to discuss in person.


We will ask everybody to contribute something in both of the following areas. When it's your turn, if you agree with something that's already here, that's great. Please +1 the existing comment and then also tell us your perspective.



What is working well?
	* +Dan & Tom are good at helping
	* The format of the class works well - part lecture, part 1 on 1 help, part projects
	* The general vibe is good - comfortable and safe space. no random strangers or cruel looks - no mean mugging
	* Seeing the former classes projects was good
	* +Free work group time when everybody is working on projects
	* Good to have time to figure things out on my own and then collaborate with people around me. It works to walk around and collaborate.
	* +Daily routine is well-structured -- lecture, then work
	* The layout of the course has worked well so far - core javascript, then web and servers, etc.
	* Being here for eight hours a day - the immersive nature of the experience
	* +Dan and Tom are working well and make a good pair on different days have a lot of knowledge and are good communicators. 
	* Tom knows what he's talking about
	* Teachers actually care about students
	* classmates help each other
	* Tom helps students recall by having them answer questions for each other
	* The collaborative nature of the class - cris's teambuilding work at the start
	* It's good to be able to ask for help
	* The TA's really dig in with people when they are asked. it feels different asking them for help compared with other students or the instructors. Maybe it's because they aren't here as often.
	* The hour-long lunch breaks are surprisingly good. gives your brain a break.


How specifically can we improve? 
(It's ok to tell us that you don't like something, but it's more useful to tell us what you would prefer instead. Many of the improvements we make to our classes come directly from student suggestions in these retrospectives.)

	* Have the TA's engage more pro-actively but they don't have to tell us the answers. sometimes they seem like furniture. it's ok for them to come up and check in with students during project time more often or more consistently. 
	* The TA's can do more presentations of material to help students get to know them.
	* Teachers having office hours at night would be good
	* Make the room quieter while not reducing the collaborative goodness - maybe simply reminding the class 
	* ++Have the syllabus for future modules available. once I get behind I have trouble learning. it's very useful for review
	* Increase the amount of content in the syllabus or link to more info
	* ++Save scratchpad code and link it to lessons for review
	* For lab or procedures, have the steps written out fo review
	* +Have an explicit vocabulary or glossary
	* Have an example of working code for lessons for review
	* more review 
	* structured breaks
	* Help students who are falling behind review and catchup
	* Can assign students to be responsible for doing the following day recap
	* the whiteboard is sad. the pens are pathetic
	* Make it easier to get in the door after hours. especially for Hack & Help where vistors aren't able to get in and they don't come back
	* day to day progress can be better structured, especially with the switching instructors. we don't always progress smoothly
	* Have the entire class outline (or at least the upcoming modules) available in advance so people can look ahead
	* Break the lectures up. shorter pomodoro segments to help people take breaks and assimilate what they've heard.
	* There's a point where more information is not going to be assimilated. It happens quickly with some information so stop and check. 
	* Optional exercises to reinforce the day's information that we can do at night if there isn't time during the day
	* The first two weeks each day was "learn new stuff then use that stuff" which was great. Lately, there hasn't been as many reinforcement structured exercises targeted at what we learned in the morning.
	* Mocha is a myth. Mocha is magic. 
	* The first day, we went from 0 to 120 - by the end of the first day I wasn't able to do the stuff on the page, I still can't. It's hard to catch up.
	* An explicit review of the previous day's main points in addition to "are there any questions from yesterday"
	* A daily vocabulary lesson to make sure people are up on the foundations
	* Because the scope of the capstones seemed small, perhaps more of them during the class would be a good idea. graduates all seem to be doing more projects after they graduate so we should get started earlier or do a couple at the same
	* After the Sudoko problem, saying it doesn't matter took away from the value of the project.
	* Make feedback explicit - make sure people are meeting the required standards
	* Have more projects that directly use specific course topics that are suitable for portfolio
	* Show the solution to make sure that everybody understand what it should look like.
	* Raise the stakes
	* Optional reading assignments to prep for the next day (not homework). Suggestions like codecademy or treehouse are useful for people who have the time