Am I Smarter Yet?
10 May 2024
Introduction
When I registered for ICS 314 Software Engineering, I had no idea what to expect. I did not know exactly what it entailed, but I was interested to learn web application development. However, I did learn a lot about multiple other fundamental software engineer concepts in the process. Out of those that I learned, a few of them were Coding Standard, User Interface Frameworks, and Ethics in Software Engineering.
Coding Standards
Coding Standards not only help to minimize errors within code, but also help to standardize code for ease of readability. During this course we used tools such as ESLint with IntelliJ to help us maintain our standards.
In my Why Isn’t My Code Working essay I briefly cover coding standards and the tools that we used.
In my essay, I relate coding standards to grammar in the English language. Taking away the Software Engineering aspect, I feel as though having standards in any type of project is important. It helps to keep everyone on the same page and makes sure that there is mutual understanding all around. This ultimately only improves productivity in my opinion.
User Interface (UI) Frameworks
Examples of UI frameworks that we used throughout this course were React and then Meteor. We started with React and then moved on to Meteor with which we completed our final projects with. Honestly, I found learning these interesting. Even though it was a bit tedious sometimes. I feel as though I really learned a lot. Coming into this course, I basically knew nothing about HTML, CSS, or UI frameworks. Therefore, I feel happy to have gained this experience.
In my User Experience essay I talk a bit more about my experiences and viewpoints on learning React.
Also, this could be applied outside of Software Engineering in that it’s ultimately all about user experience and user satisfaction. This is applicable in just about all consumer or supply/demand situations.
Ethics in Software Engineering
It’s easy to get caught up in the fun of Software Engineering, but this class did remind me that it’s not always going to be just fun. Eventually when we enter the career field we’ll more than likely end up in a situation where we have to make determinations that are deemed ethical. Although I knew, I hadn’t given much constant thought into how much responsibility that we could be given to make these determinations. During one of our classes, we held an ethics debate. I was on the opposing side that I did not agree with, but it still had me second guessing myself. All in all, it gave me a lot to reflect on. Also, finding out that it was a real situation that had happened, will definitely stick with me.
This is not only applicable to Software Engineering, but can be applied in any other projects or jobs. Someone has to be the one to make difficult choices in not just their career, but life in general. It honestly gives you a lot to think about, and some people don’t even realize it until they’re in the situation.
Conclusion:
Overall I have enjoyed ICS 314 this semester. I definitely feel confident in saying that I learned a lot about Software Engineering. Majority of the things that we covered in this course, I had either no or very little experience with. Not only did I learn, but I had fun while doing so. I’m extremely grateful, and feel way more confident in my abilities after taking this course.