I plan to post occasional reflections on ST101 here as the course progresses. After a slightly late start, we're off. I'm already getting what I wanted - the feeling of what it's like to be a student again. On consequence of this is immediate dumbing down when I know the answers, not wanting to come across as a smart arse. My maths is clunky, pragmatic and empirical. It soars like an anvil. That's not new, I already knew that :-)
The website is slick, the YouTube format with built-in formative questions particularly so:
I'm using the exercises as a way of noodling around with R, and this is already having benefits. I feel the decision to use Python on this course is wrong, and have commented to that effect on the forum (although if I find time I will have a go at the optional Python units). How great would it be if Udacity threw its resources behind open source software such as R and RStudio and contributed to their evolution?
I'm dealing with time management - still my biggest worry - by scheduling blocks in Google Calendar.
There are badges! (although somewhat peripheral to the progress menu and only for the "social" aspects of the course, i.e. the forums).
Another update next week.
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