Ten minutes left
It is the last session. You have 10 minutes. Your code works, but you have not saved your work. You have not written the review.
Time goes fast when you work. The students who do well are not always the fastest. They are the students who plan their time.
Key words
| Word | What it means | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Deadline | The time when work must be finished. | 12:30 |
| Time box | A fixed amount of time for one job. When it ends, you move on. | 30 minutes for design |
| Priority | How important a job is. High priority jobs come first. | must-have features |
| Checklist | A list of things to check, one by one. | saved, named, handed in |
| Minimum working version | The smallest version that does the main job. | books a court |
| Test plan | A table of tests: what you try and what should happen. | hour 21: refused |
| Supervised | A teacher watches while you work. | an assessed session |
The cells students fill in are left blank in this preview.
Quick check: what comes first?
Have a go
Quick check: what comes first?
3 questionsYour answers are marked here and are not kept. A college account keeps every student’s marks.
Time boxes for a 3 hour session
| Time | Minutes | Job | Done when |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0:00 to 0:15 | 15 | Read the plan and the last notes | You know the next must-have |
| 0:15 to 1:45 | 90 | Build the must-haves, a step at a time | The tests for them pass |
| 1:45 to 2:15 | 30 | Test and fix | Your tests pass and you have noted the results |
| 2:15 to 2:45 | 30 | Should-haves, if there is time | Or make the code you have tidy |
| 2:45 to 3:00 | 15 | Save, name and check the hand-in | Every item on the checklist is ticked |
The cells students fill in are left blank in this preview.
Try it: minutes between times
def to_minutes(clock):
parts = clock.split(":") # "09:45" becomes ["09", "45"]
return int(parts[0]) * 60 + int(parts[1])
start = "09:45"
end = "10:15"
print(to_minutes(end) - to_minutes(start))
# 9:45 is 9 * 60 + 45 = 585 minutes.
# 10:15 is 10 * 60 + 15 = 615 minutes.
# 615 - 585 = 30.
When you are stuck
Everyone gets stuck. Do not just look at the screen.
- Write the problem in one sentence.
- Try one thing for 10 minutes.
- If it still does not work, write a note in your log and move to a different must-have.
- Come back when you have a new idea.
Ask your lecturer what help you may ask for in the real sessions.
The hand-in checklist
data-callouts.important.label
Before the end of a session: Is everything saved? Are the files named clearly? Does the code run from the start? Is the evidence that my lecturer asks for in the portfolio? Ask your lecturer exactly how work is handed in.