The first WOD called BrowserHIstory1 asks us to create a web page that displays text, images, and an unordered list containing interactive links using id tags. The page is formatted to be split into sections by headers and paragraphs explaining a brief history of Internet Explorer, Firefox, and Chrome with a Table of contents included at the top. From the Labs, I was able to become very familiar with practicing the basic formatting of html. My first attempt was completely on my own without any assistance. To my surprise, I was able to complete the tasks; all except for the task of linking the Table of Contents its location in the page using id tags. My time was near the 30 minute mark. After watching the solution, I understood how to use id tags and used six more tries to get my time down to just over 10 minutes. I feel that this WOD took me the longest because it was my first WOD and there is a learning curve in that itself. I didn’t know what to expect and it took me a while to get used to the recording software and talking aloud in an empty room.
The second WOD called BrowserHistory2 focused more on using css and google fonts. This WOD took me 2 tries and I was able to get a decent time of around 7 minutes. The part that was the most challenging to me in this WOD was remembering how to link a css stylesheet to an html file and how to implement google fonts. Watching the solution was a great review and I was able to pick it up fairly quickly. Something that stood out in the WOD was the margin shortcut (top, right, bottom, left).
The third WOD called BrowserHistory3 is a little more vague than the previous two WODs in its instruction. It basically asks to change the structure of the format to three columns and to create a navigation bar. For this WOD, I found myself completely lost and had no idea where to start. After a few minutes of trying to figure out a starting point, I went to the solution video to grasp what it is I should do. It was confusing at first, and similarly to the first WOD- it took multiple tries. After following the video step by step, then practicing on my own, I was able to get the end result in just over 5 minutes.
Overall, I found the introduction to WODs challenging, but very useful for learning and practicing. I am very glad that we are able to learn at our own pace and use as many tries as it takes to grasp what it is we are doing. Some advice I would give to others who hope to perform well in the WODs would be to read the material before-hand. Even if you may not know exactly how to execute the WOD on your first try; try your best. If you get stuck; it’s okay. There isn’t any shame in not knowing how to do everything on your own. Use the screencasts as a learning opportunity and take the time to understand what it is you’re doing and why you’re doing it instead of memorizing steps.