Is CPTE 110 Difficult?

I often get this question from students wanting to get a computer skills credit for General Studies. I can't totally predict your experience, but here are some clues:

What Kind of Computer Do You Have?

• If you use a Mac, that in itself is not a problem. Why you prefer a Mac is more important:
  • This class is about learning technical skills. If your reason for preferring a Mac is that you believe it allows you to get work done without understanding technical things, this class might be difficult for you.
  • If the reason you prefer a Mac is that it has a more stable operating system than Windows or you like the Unix-based architecture of Mac OS X, that's a good sign.
• If you run Linux on your laptop, you're going to do just fine. Not because Linux is any better but because you have a headstart on the class. Nano is a good editor. If you prefer VIM, you're even better off (but there's no reason to learn it just for this class).
• If you run Windows 7 or 8.1 on your laptop, you'll find the class is oriented toward what you have. If you have Windows 8, do yourself a favor and get the free 8.1 upgrade!

What About You?

• If you are good at getting details like punctuation and spelling correct, that's a good sign. Every semester I see people waste hours because they didn't pay attention to the fact that they'd capitalized a word in one place and done it lower-case in another - which is a major fail in Web development.
• If you have your computer documents organized by directory and can find things easily, that's a good sign. If your desktop is cluttered with documents and you are chronically having trouble finding documents you knew you had, this class is going to take a lot of time.
• If you find math difficult but are into doing cool things on social media, you'll find the first half of the class is a bit of a challenge and the middle is harder but the last part is better.
  - A good grade in Statistics (if it's from a rigorous teacher) would indicate critical thinking skills you need for this course.
• Keeping up is essential. If you're a chronic procrastinator, an "A" isn't going to happen. Hint: Quiz due dates aren't flexible. You get a bit more wiggle-room on homework, but if you turn it in late you need to notify me or I may not know you did it.
• It's tempting to read just the parts of the textbook required for doing homework. But sometimes quiz questions ask about things that aren't in the homework. Hint: The first page of lesson 10 has the answer to an important question.
• Be willing to ask for help. My office is a good place to get it. Check my hours and come on in!

December 11, 2014 - John Beckett