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Wk07/08: CST 338: Software Design. Learning Journal Summary

Looking back at HW01: Hangman , I can clearly see how much my approach to programming has matured over the course of the semester. At the time, this assignment felt large and overwhelming, but revisiting it now, I recognize how many foundational skills I successfully developed and how much more confident I am applying them today. One major victory was learning how to structure a program across multiple classes instead of trying to place all logic in a single file. In HW01, I separated responsibilities such as game logic, word handling, and user interaction. At the beginning of the semester, designing class responsibilities felt abstract, but now I understand how encapsulation makes code easier to reason about, debug, and extend. Another important win was becoming comfortable with testing and debugging using JUnit . My Hangman project included multiple test cases validating constructor behavior, word selection, guesses, hints, and game state progression. While tests initially failed, I...
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Week 5 :CST 338 Software Design: Learning Journal Markov assignment review

Who did you work with? I worked with Manuel Caro and Edward Luna . We compared our approaches and discussed how each of us solved the Markov assignment. What was your strategy for solving the Markov assignment? My strategy was to build the program in stages instead of trying to code everything at once. I started with the dictionary section because it was the foundational part of the assignment. Getting that piece working helped me confirm that the basic structure was correct. I tested the dictionary as I built it to make sure it stored the information the program would need later. Once the dictionary section was working, I moved on to the second part of the assignment, which depended on the first part being finished. I didn’t formally plan the assignment on paper, but I thought through the order of tasks before coding. Overall, I approached the project by completing the easier, core pieces first and then building the more complex parts on top of them. What strategy did your classma...
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Week 4:CST 338 Software Design: Learning Journal Project 1 review

 This week we have to review our team's code for the Project 1: Legally Distinct Pocket Monster.  With whom did you work?            I worked with my Team members Edward Luna-Ortez and Manuel Caro.  What was your strategy for solving the assignments? My strategy was to first read and understand the project specifications before writing any code. I started with the easier parts; basic fields, simple getters and setters, constructors, and small helper methods. Once those were working, I moved on to the more complex logic such as elemental interactions, attack calculations, defense behavior, and toString formatting. I built the project in small steps, running tests frequently so I could catch mistakes early. I also used Git branches to isolate major changes and keep the history organized.           Did you start writing code right away? Did you plan it out on paper? I did some planning before coding; mainly ide...
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Week 2: CST 338 Software Design.

During the past two weeks, I have been getting more comfortable with both the technical tools and the mindset needed for programming in Java. When we first started with Lab 00, using IntelliJ was a new experience. At first, I felt overwhelmed by all the windows and options, but as I followed the videos and built the first small projects, I started to see how the IDE actually supports my workflow. Code completion, automatic formatting, and instant error feedback made a big difference in helping me write cleaner and more efficient code. Learning Git in Lab 01 added another layer of understanding. Initially, Git felt complicated and intimidating, but as I practiced basic commands like add, commit, and push, it began to make sense. I now understand how branching and version control allow developers to experiment without fear of breaking things permanently. It was satisfying to see how Git can track every step of the process, making it easier to stay organized and recover from mistakes. Th...
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Week 1: CST 338 Software Design

 At the start of this course, it took me a little time to get back into the mindset of solving programming problems again. It had been a while since I last worked through CodingBat exercises, which I originally did in my introductory Java course, so this felt like a good opportunity to refresh and sharpen my skills. Once I got going, the familiar structure of the problems helped me ease back into logical thinking and steady problem solving. When I began working through the challenges, I focused on reading each problem carefully and studying the examples to make sure I understood what was being asked. I found it helpful to restate each problem in my own words and then think about which Java tools such as loops, string methods, or conditionals could help me solve it. At first, I sometimes jumped straight into writing code without much planning, just to see what would happen. That approach led to small errors or logic issues that I had to fix later. Over time, I realized that taking...
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Week 8 - My CSUMB Journey - Final Week

Part 1: Review Other Teams' final video projects Group Otter Bots: video for general audience:    Drone delivery system The team’s video on Delivery Drones delivers a clear and accessible overview of how drones are transforming delivery systems. The topic is timely and well covered, balancing benefits such as speed and sustainability with issues like regulation and privacy. While adding specific data or current examples could deepen the analysis, the content remains appropriate for a general audience. The presentation is well organized and easy to follow. The AI voiceover provides a consistent tone and pacing that enhances clarity, though it lacks some of the energy a live narrator might bring. The visuals and narration work together effectively to convey the message. The research appears accurate and relevant, demonstrating good understanding of drone applications and industry trends. Explicit references or stataistics would strengthen credibility, but for a general audience,...
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Week 7 - My CSUMB Journey

Part one: Our team has been working on the Final Research Video Project, and the planning process has been going pretty smoothly so far. We have been using Zoom for our weekly team meetings, which we hold every Wednesday , to go over our progress and share ideas. Between meetings, we communicate regularly through Google Chat , which has been great for quick updates, asking questions, and keeping everyone in the loop throughout the week. We also created our own shared Google Doc where we post our work, notes, and research so that everyone can access and edit it easily. This makes collaboration much easier, since we can see each other’s progress in real time and add feedback or suggestions right away. The Google Doc has really helped us stay organized and connected as we work on different parts of the project. The overall process has been smooth, but like most group projects, it takes effort to keep everything coordinated and on schedule. We are still working on the video itself, but h...
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