While we do go over the powerpoint slides and specific examples in classtime, the screencasts are an excellent way to prepare ourselves to better comprehend the information covered in the class labs and even when attempting the corresponding WOD’s. There is a good mix of lecture material based off of the slides and practical examples through the demonstration of related code based on the specific topic being covered in the slides. I will say, however, that some of the definitions or examples labeled in the powerpoint slides are much easier than others and do not need to be elaborated upon in the screencast. For that reason, more emphasis should be placed onto the practical uses of the topics rather than the explanation of how each individual piece of code works, since we should already grasp the majority of definitions and syntax from the pre-class readings. It may also be beneficial to have small practice problems during the screencasts rather than simply following along with the screencast and copying the code into our own VScode, resulting in a more interactive and enjoyable experience.
Overall, the screencasts are a great way to prepare for class lectures, which, in return, prepares us for labs and WOD’s. Along with the readings and other resources, the screencasts at time may seem a little tedious, which is why they may benefit from more interactive examples and placing less emphasis on syntax and definition related material.