I really enjoy this course and I feel like I’m walking away from it with
a number of new skills. Prior to this class, I had no JSON knowledge, very
little experience with HTML or CSS, and some Javascript knowledge. I learned
a lot about the basics of all of these concepts and how they can work in
tandem to create more complex online processes like plotting calculators,
building canvas elements, displaying database elements, creating functional
forms, and animating elements. I also really enjoyed the game design assignment
for this course which, honestly, surprised me as I was dreading that assignment.
Being able to work in the Construct 3 engine, and being given the liberty to
design and implement pretty much whatever I wanted within the confines of the
assignment, was a lot of fun. I hit a lot of obstacles in those two game design
assignments and I did a lot of troubleshooting, but I learned a lot too. Gaming
is one of my hobbies and that likely motivated me to keep pushing through when
developing. Now that I feel more confident in Construct 3, I’m considering
taking up building games as a hobby instead of just playing them.
I understand that in order to move forward in a career in web development,
there will likely be more skills that I will need to learn. One of the first
requirements I noticed was that a number of jobs are looking for specific or
more specialized languages. While I have a working understanding of about
half-a-dozen coding languages already, it seems like this may be an area of
study I will need to consistently be working in. Many of these positions are
also looking for experience with systems specific to the field that the
position would be coding for; such as finance or medical. There are also
specific frameworks that many employers are looking for experience in. I have
also noticed that some employers have specifically asked for experience with
ASP.NET as well as CMS platforms such as WordPress, Kenitco, and Sitefinity.
Other qualifications I noticed were database integration, server management,
knowledge of two-factor authentication methods (U2F, SMS, Yubikey), varied
browser support, and knowledge utilizing offline programs such as Photoshop
and Microsoft Visual Studio.
While there seems to be a number of more specialized skills that need to be
learned before I could pursue a career in web development, after reviewing the
expected requirements for entry level requirements, I feel this course did a
good job of setting me up for success if I were to seek out a career in this
field. Many of the missing skills and preferred skills listed were covered in
other courses offered at Daytona State College or are areas of study I can
pursue on my own now that I have an understanding of how to build and manage
a website.