Going From an Interest in Python to a ‘Breakthrough’ in Understanding Programming
“I was able to use AI-generated code in real solutions, check the code, make changes, verify it works, and sometimes even make it perform better.”
Self-paced courses and invested faculty allow U-M employee to take his programming skills to another level through the free access provided to him via Michigan Online.
Even for people with a lifelong love of learning, tackling a new subject can be daunting. The more technical the topic, the more intimidating it can seem.
Erik Raymond, a senior data analyst at the Alumni Association of the University of Michigan, had always dabbled in self-taught programming, but he is the first to admit it was a more challenging prospect than he originally envisioned.
He used the resources available to him, including language docs, Stack Exchange forums, and Google. But it was of varying degrees of usefulness.
His interests also stretched beyond coding, with a curiosity to learn more about business, marketing, and the arts.
For Raymond, Michigan Online offered the perfect solution. As an employee at the University of Michigan, Raymond receives free access to hundreds of online courses created by U-M faculty.
Even better, the catalogue of courses is so deep that Raymond was able to explore many interests. He enrolled in Python courses, including Llama for Python Programmers, Personal Branding: Stand Out and Succeed, Model Thinking, and The Science of Success.
“It was easily accessible,” Raymond said. “I could fit time in my schedule and also found the professors easy to communicate with. I was surprised when they'd 'jump into the action' and correct some of their material or help students directly.”
“I was able to use AI-generated code in real solutions, check the code, make changes, verify it works, and sometimes even make it perform better.”
The format of the courses was especially appealing, Raymond said, because the course materials deeply explored core topics and addressed common mistakes made by learners, many of whom are used to relying on quickie YouTube tutorials.
“They covered mistakes I was often making and why they were wrong, and the courses allowed me to test new concepts and code directly in the browser in a way that was incredibly illuminating,” Raymond said.
In the end, he felt that the courses provided him not just with a deeper understanding but also with more confidence moving forward in his career.
“I was able to use AI-generated code in real solutions, check the code, make changes, verify it works, and sometimes even make it perform better.”
He said being able to methodically take the courses in his free time allowed him to “break through” his limits, whether technical, self-imposed, or from a lack of understanding.
Without Michigan Online, he doubts he would have experienced that breakthrough.
“I am a vehement advocate for free and low-cost education. I think having Michigan Online available to so many students, faculty, staff, and alumni like me is simply wonderful.
