Personal Experience with Java Programming (MOOC.fi) | Seika Hirori

Seika Hirori

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Personal Experience with Java Programming (MOOC.fi)

Date: 04 Jul 2022

Category: blog Learning Resources

Tags: Imported

Abstract: The Java Programming (MOOC.fi) course is great for beginners who started their self-taught programming journey! There were some hiccups, but that did not deter my progress through the course. The experience was an incredible kick off to my self-taught programming journey.

How did I find MOOC.fi and its Java Programming course? It was free course commonly mentioned on r/LearnProgramming and r/LearnJava. I initially started with the [Python Programming MOOC 2022]{.underline} course but I swapped over to the [Java Programming MOOC]{.underline} course early on. The primary reason I swapped was because an apprenticeship opportunity required Java knowledge, and a friend suggested switching over from the Python Java for said opportunity.

For my progression through the course, it was not too bad! Trying to understand the basic foundations of programming was difficult… BUT once I understood how they functioned, I felt unstoppable at learning ANYTHING :3. The grade check was helpful to see which scenario I did not account for in my code! I utilized Google, Stack Overflow, and documentation to dig into information I need help understanding. However, I completed up until Part 14.2 as I did not need to utilize the whole toolset from JavaFX.

Why do I like this over other introduction courses? For me, I learn best by being hands-on first. Fortunately, this course synergies well with my learning style. I loved how it taught learners how to use the tools in the intro section, and then they explained how those tools work on a deeper level in the advanced section. For example, [part 12]{.underline} explains how type parameters, ArrayLists, and Hashmaps function on a deeper level. They introduced [Unit Testing via JUnit]{.underline} AND briefly mentioned TDD (Test-Driven Development). They also introduced platforms/ frameworks like JavaFX. As a result, you get to fiddle around with graphs, photos, audio, and build a game!

There were small hiccups along my journey through the course. Some Finnish-to-English translation was lost, so some wording and grammatical structure might not make sense. The lack of opportunities to practice unit testing outside the introduction in Part 6. This is likely the grade check function, as writing test code would conflict with the TMC plugin AND pre-made tests from the course. It was a struggle trying to implement JUnit as the grade check exists. It also made TDD impossible. You could set up a separate workspace to do this, but that would cost extra time to copy and paste code back and forth. The style-check could be better distinguished like how it’s done in [CS50x’s style check]{.underline}.

The course doesn’t account for users on non-x86 devices (I’m assuming it was published before Apple Silicon devices were widely released). In order to find the instructions, you have to really go out of your way to find information on how to set up an IDE and Java packages. Here’s a link to setup VSCode that works for Apple Silicon devices on MacOS, [https://www.mooc.fi/en/installation/vscode/]{.underline}.

Would I recommend the Java course? YES FOR BEGINNERS!… But that’s an elephant in the room from earlier: the [Python Programming MOOC 2022]{.underline} course.

I progressed up until Part 3.2 before I swapped over to the [Java Programming MOOC]{.underline} course. It looks like the Python course is the main introductory course for University of Helsinki’s Computer Science department now. It’s being updated yearly on MOOC.fi from my observation.

If you want to IMMEDIATELY jump into learning programming, I recommend going with the Python version as the IDE setup is FAR simpler. This rings especially true if you are using MacOS with Apple Silicon. Setup was easier with Python than having to manually setup Java for VSCode. If you attempt to run the provided IDE (Netbeans or Eclipse) through Rosetta, the performance will be a hindrance. It will freeze after testing. It is possible to install the TMC (TestMyCode) plug-in extension separately with a newer build of either NetBeans or Eclipse, but it will require more time and research to set up. I found that VSCode was easier to set up on Apple Silicon (aside from setting up Maven). If you use Windows OR MacOS on an Intel-powered Apple device, I think using the course’s provided IDE setup should be less of a hassle for both Python and Java courses.

If I were to start from scratch, I would still go with the Java course. Before switching to the Java course, I went up to Part 3 of the Python course. I STRUGGLED with the Python syntax since my eyes could not comprehend reading code with the large amount of whitespace. With the Java syntax, it gave me guidance to where a line/ body of code started and stopped. It also ingrained in me to be mindful of the syntax (i.e. “{ }”, “( )”). Thanks to the Java syntax giving the understanding of this, I do not struggle as much when reading Python’s syntax now.

I’ll mention it here: When you complete about 80% of the introduction or advance section, you are [awarded a certificate]{.underline} for the respective section! It’s a nice moral boost to make you go “AWWW YEAH I MADE PROGRESS AS A PROGRAMMER Y’ALL W00T W00T!”

What is next for me? I wanted to learn more about data structures and algorithms, and my friend suggested that it was a great step to tackle next. There were two free courses I found: [Algs4]{.underline} and [Pythonds3]{.underline}.

If you want to stick with Java as the main programming language, [Algs4]{.underline} is a great option. However, you will need to set up their library manually if you are on MacOS with Apple Silicon. Once you do, you will spend time learning how to use their nonstandard library. This feels like a traditional course… which makes sense since it is from Princeton University. They provide the textbook and online course for free! Video lectures accompany the lessons as well, which are found in the online course. The links are:

- [Textbook]{.underline}

- [Course | Part 1]{.underline}

- [Course | Part 2]{.underline}

If you do not mind switching over to Python, [Pythonds3]{.underline} (from Runestone.academy) is another option. This is more reading (like Java/Python MOOCfi), but video is provided throughout the course! They do a great job explaining the Python syntax, so transitioning from Java (and possibly C, C#, JavaScript, etc) would be less of a struggle.

I also wanted to learn about TDD as I think it suits my style of “here’s point A and point B; let’s set up the staircase to make it possible”. MOOCfi does provide a [TDD course]{.underline}. However, the main language for its exercises is Javascript.

What have I been doing since I completed Java Programming MOOC?

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I am still excited about this journey! I do hope that I will get to the point where I can gain industry experience soon! In the meantime, I will continue to learn all of these wonderful technologies.

Courses mentioned (URLs):

Introduction courses:

Data structures and algorithms:

TDD (Test-Driven Development):

MISC: