--- date: 2021-06-04, 2021-02-22, 2021-02-09, 2020-12-22, 2020-12-22, 2020-12-14, 2022-05-15 aliases: Learn in public publish: --- %% date:: [[2023-03-18]] %% # [[Learning in public]] Learning in public is a movement that encourages the production of [[Learning Exhaust]] by way of ancillary content that is produced as an effect of education. This is a form of [[Anti-marketing]], in which content is viewed as an end in itself (as a way to draw attention and clients to a business). Learning in public views content as the necessary byproduct of true learning, in the same sense that [[Writing does not help us learn; it IS how we learn.]] <iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/4zrs_vVRwD4" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe> ## Benefits of learning in public - It's the fastest way to learn - Publishing what you're thinking, and your current thoughts on things, encourages people to critique you and challenge you-- and that's a good thing. - You end up with a portfolio of your efforts - [[Prefer visible work]] - It's a good way to find a mentor - Mentors are looking for someone who will want to teach others in turn. ## Practical ways to learn in public This boils down to publishing your [[Learning Exhaust]]: - [ ] Write blogs, tutorials, and cheatsheets. - [ ] Speak at conferences. - [ ] Ask and answer things in public places like Stackoverflow and Reddit. - [ ] Make YouTube videos and Twitch streams. - [ ] Start a newsletter. - [ ] Draw cartoons. - [ ] Reach out to content creators that helped you. Thank them, and ask questions. - [ ] Make PRs to libraries you use. - [ ] Make your own libraries. - [ ] Clone repos just to see how they work. - [ ] Teach workshops. - [ ] Summarize what you've learned from conferences. - [ ] [[Wear your noobiness on your sleeve]]. ## [[Public Learners]] ## Criticisms of learning in public - It's not for everybody. This methodology is very much oriented towards [[Developer Relations|Developer Advocacy]] in tech, which is not a field everyone is well-suited for. - It's impossible, and sometimes unwise, to learn in public 100% of the time. - There are real benefits to [[Learning in private]]. ## References - [[Article/Learn in Public: The Fastest Way to Learn]] - [[Learning in Public - Mickey Mellen]] - [[sources/Book/The Coding Career Handbook]] - [[Shawn Wang]] - [[Show Your Work]]