The Growth Series [Part 2]: Elevating Your QA Skills Through Free Online Courses
To enhance your life, continuous learning is crucial. We currently inhabit an era rich with easily accessible information on virtually any subject — often available at no cost. Despite having experience in test automation and a background in programming, I have explored several free courses to expand my understanding in this field and sought to further my knowledge in this area.
Therefore I selected some days ago courses from “Test Automation University” focusing on Cypress to deepen my understanding. My goal was to evaluate the learning outcomes of these courses and determine whether they genuinely aid in honing skills for a QA Engineer. Additionally, I was keen on understanding if and what knowledge one could acquire from these courses to better their proficiency in quality assurance.
Exploring Digital Resources
A highly favored resource is YouTube, which hosts a lot of videos covering nearly every conceivable topic — including those on software QA and, more specifically, test automation. Personally, I have a preference for the website “Test Automation University,” where the assurance of expert advice is prevalent. The contributors here are not only knowledgeable in their fields but also adept at delivering information effectively.
Since access to content is free, you might occasionally encounter a video where accountability is lacking. This could lead to situations where beginners watch a video and presume that the subject matter is excessively complicated, when, unfortunately, it might just be a case of inadequate instruction by the video’s creator. Consequently, it’s worthwhile to research and pinpoint platforms offering high-quality, complimentary online courses. Here’s a compilation of websites and YouTube sites that are in my opinion commendable:
Test Automation University (TAU)
Katalon Academy
YouTube (Automation Step by Step, Naveen AutomationLabs, Mukesh Otwani, SDET- QA Automation Techie)
Software Testing Mentor
Coursera (offers free trials)
edX (some courses might be free)
The Perks of Online Learning
What I love is the “choose your own adventure” vibe of the learning process. Never touched programming or automation? No worries, there’s a course for beginners! Already have some know-how? Great! Jump into an advanced course. So, regardless of whether your knowledge is more “beginner’s luck” or “automation guru”, there’s a spot for you to jump in.
Plus, most of these courses are super well-organized. This shows that the folks who make these courses really care and put a lot of effort into them, and you can see it in the awesome videos they make. What I also think is cool is that beginner videos often explain how to install everything. Because let’s face it, getting everything set up can be a huge pain, and it’s nice to have clear instructions to follow. It’s one of those annoying things that nobody talks about but can slow you down.
Tip: If you get stuck, don’t hesitate to ask ChatGPT — it can be a big help when things get tricky!
When everything is set up well, you can watch the video and dive into coding at the same time. The pause button is your friend here — it’s super handy when you want to try things out on your own and trust me, you’ll want to! Learning by doing is key, in my opinion. Plus, if things get fuzzy, just rewind and watch again or do a quick Google search for more info.
Here’s how I do it: I have the video playing, a note-taking app (like Notion) open, and my IDE (like VSCode) ready to go. Most courses are split into chapters, so I watch a chapter, write down notes, and then hop over to VSCode to put what I’ve learned into action, using my notes as a guide. It’s a great way to learn from your own mistakes and figure out what’s important and what you need to dig deeper into.
The videos I watched were exceptionally adept at explaining concepts, and I genuinely appreciated their approach. They clarified the concepts of test automation very effectively, and considering these are free resources, the quality of the videos is truly impressive.
Skipping the Known, Mastering the New
Another perk is the ability to skip sections you’re already familiar with. This might happen, especially in more advanced courses, where you might already know certain parts and concepts. Unlike in a school setting or a live learning event, you’re not forced to sit through things you already know — you can simply breeze past that chapter. We often lose interest in learning when things are either too challenging or too simplistic, or when we already have a grasp on the subject. So, save your time and energy — just skip that chapter!
Another strategy I enjoy is speeding up the playback of the video. It baffles me why more people don’t do this! Virtually all videos offer the option to play at speeds ranging from 1.5x to even 3x. While I find playing a video at 3x the original speed counterproductive — you end up missing the content and don’t understand anything — I often settle for 1.5x speed. It’s manageable, and you quickly acclimate to the pace. Eventually, you might find the normal speed seems excessively slow! Employing this technique allows you to consume the content in a shorter span. If you haven’t tried this, I highly recommend giving it a shot!
Room For Improvements
However, it’s important to acknowledge that online courses have their limitations, and here are some personal considerations and areas that could see improvement.
Firstly, there’s the matter of self-discipline. There’s no one hovering over you to ensure you complete the course, and since it’s free, the onus is entirely on you. Maintaining intrinsic motivation is crucial, and depending on the video’s length, sustaining that motivation becomes pivotal. I know many who have started courses only to abandon them thirty minutes in, never to return. So, creating a structured plan and adhering to it is essential.
Additionally, as previously highlighted, it’s vital to actively engage with the exercises presented. Merely watching the video — or worse, letting it play in the background in hopes of osmotically absorbing the knowledge — won’t cut it. This approach won’t magically enhance your skills and is simply a waste of time. Therefore, treat the course with the same seriousness and commitment as you would a paid one. Actively participate, practice the exercises, and immerse yourself in the learning process. Only through such dedicated engagement will true learning occur!
Another aspect I’d love to see enhanced, or rather, something I often find lacking is — yes, you read it right — homework! Most participants complete the provided exercises but don’t go beyond that. They grasp the concept and perhaps replicate it, but they don’t usually tackle problems independently. Thus, it would be highly beneficial to have various tasks or even a project assigned after each chapter. Engaging with such assignments can significantly solidify long-term skills and provide a deeper understanding of the myriad of challenges one might encounter. So yes, more homework, please!
The final consideration when doing an online course is recognizing that many are quite concise. If the entire course is about an hour long, understand that it merely serves as an introduction to the topic. To gain a deeper, more comprehensive understanding and to truly enhance your skills, don’t just stop at completing more courses. Immerse yourself in real-world problems and challenges. Reflect on what you can refine and improve in your approach. An hour-long video can kickstart your journey, but diving deep and applying your knowledge in practical scenarios is what truly advances your learning.
The conclusion
So, do I believe you can become a more skilled QA engineer through online courses? Absolutely! In today’s world, there are plentiful resources available, YouTube alone being a vast realm of knowledge. Plus, numerous websites offer free courses taught by individuals who possess extensive industry experience and a genuine passion for imparting knowledge. The digital world is brimming with learning opportunities that can surely enhance your proficiency in QA engineering!
I’d advise everyone to pick a topic and dive in on their own! But be mindful; that commitment is key, or you might find the results disappointing. Even the greatest teacher can’t learn things for you; it’s a journey you undertake yourself. So, immerse yourself, practice the exercises provided, and brainstorm different examples. If you hit a roadblock, there’s always someone — or rather, something — that can help: ChatGPT. It is a great learning companion, ready to assist with new tasks and projects. By inputting your level of expertise, you can generate tailored tasks to challenge and develop your skills. So, embrace learning with a sincere and dedicated approach, and see where your knowledge journey takes you!
I believe that the future of learning resides in such videos. We are in an era where the pursuit of knowledge is at our fingertips, often free of charge. It’s an opportunity everyone should leverage. The trend of acquiring new information through home learning and free videos is ever-increasing, so it’s crucial not to miss out on such advantageous learning avenues. The fusion of accessibility and convenience makes this mode of learning the go-to option for many in our rapidly evolving world.