“ICS 314: Software Engineering I” walks through the basics of software engineering, mostly web development through classic practices. The class sets you up in VSCode, a very solid and user-friendly coding platform. From there, you learn the basics of HTML, CSS, and Java/Typescript(JS/TS). From there, you are introduced to more tools in JS/TS that make your life a whole lot easier. After you gain a fundamental understanding of the three main web development languages, you are introduced to frameworks(Bootstrap, React, Node.js, and Next.js) that simplify and streamline the web development process even further. You are tested weekly on these various topics which helps reinforce them. Once you are given proper training in frameworks, you are introduced to databases through postgreSQL and pgAdmin4. You now have a basic understanding of all the tools needed to make a website, so guess what you do next… build a website! This is a group activity and is handled professionally with team contracts, and project leads. This is the closest I have gotten to simulating real work during my degree so far. You learn about the ins and outs of building a website from start to finish, balancing personal skills with the skills of others. This course had its benefits and its weaknesses to go with them.
The final project is a fantastic culmination of the work done earlier in the semester. By simulating a professional work environment, you get a hands-on feel for life in the workplace. This also allows you to abide by standard workplace practices like appropriate coding style and repository guidelines as well as following an agile project management flow, an industry standard to help progress be tracked and tasks followed in seamless order. It was very satisfying to see the work I put in all semester be reflected so well in a project.
This class is basically learning everything yourself from the documentation provided. The weekly tests are pass/fail which incentivizes doing what you have to do to pass like using AI which somewhat strips the learning from the code. This class is also incredibly fast-paced, you are expected to learn multiple frameworks in a month when the recommended time per framework is probably around a few months. It put me in a situation where I was a “Jack of all trades, master of none”, I could do the basics over and over again but struggled with the complex assignments due to the lack of review provided during the class. It is also important to know that some tutorials/assignments are outdated and don’t match what the assignment is asking.
Overall, I had a love-hate relationship with ICS 314 and software engineering. I liked the values and principles taught to us and the relevance of the final project but struggled throughout the year because of pacing and outstanding requirements outside of the class. For software engineering, this class is a must and I recommend it highly. I just wish the class was “taught” and more was done during class time to explain the necessary concepts that we needed to know for each test instead of getting thrown into the fire every week. The practices and skills that I have developed are something that I look to use far beyond this course and well into the future. Thank you ICS 314!!