[Product Review]: I LEARNED using Treehouse

Offered with a pastry business opportunity, I was motivated to start learning about how a business works. Coincidentally, the pastry shop that we will be exclusively distributing here in UP Diliman does not have a niche in the online market, yet. Since I was assigned to be the creative and marketing director, I get to be in charge with the online platform and other techie techie stuff. As I was looking for the best way to learn business online, I came across Treehouse.

Treehouse is an online learning platform, much like Coursera and edX, only much more interactive, geared towards codes, awards badges for progress, and a bit costly (for a $25 Basic account or a $49 Gold account). Treehouse is built with prospective coders and developers in mind. It is supported with a very large video library of coding information available. It offers educational material on HTML, CSS, PHP, and Javascript, among many others all organized into Tracks (basically, subjects or courses). Other educational content are also available in the Library. Treehouse is the way to go if you are willing to be taught through Videos, Quizzes, and Challenges.

The Videos are sliced into modules and then set to 3 to 10 minute chunks for easy viewing. Concepts are taught in the simplest way and in the shortest time possible. Also, the content usually has screen shots and animations with the instructors speaking directly to the camera in their most well-modulated voices. The pacing is just right for a student to understand the lesson and not miss anything. Also, it can be noted that all the videos with screen sharing and screen shots are well prepared for the viewer’s eyes in terms of font types and sizes.

The Quizzes are very interactive and comprehensive. Points are given for the student to level up in his track. Usually, the number of questions vary from one to six. For longer quizzes, the student has to get a certain amount of points to continue on to the next video. If there is a difficulty in learning the concept, the student is given the option to watch the video again.

The Challenges are mostly code based. As for my chosen track, Starting a Business, it is set in the later part of the learning process. Basically, the Track contains certain amounts of code challenges that the student should be able to do every after lesson. Points are also given and progress can be viewed as badges.

The lessons are very accessible. Top-of-the line videos with closed captioning are available for download along with their subtitles. If some of the videos are about file and project handling, they also provide a copy of the sample file they used in the Downloads section of each video. Also, there are Teacher’s Guide Questions in some of the videos that require comprehension and analysis.

The badges are very extensive and elaborate which reflect how the Team Treehouse has thought of every cool and possible way to motivate the student in continuing the Track. These set of badges are proof of progress and level of knowledge acquired. Treehouse does not, however, provide certification for their courses, which are sometimes needed for online jobs. However, their level of service can and will make a student employable as they have this Career Opportunities section in their website.

The support system offered can be found in the Forum. Several experts and high level students are available to help newbies (like me!) in some of the difficult to understand concepts and code challenges. The discussions are customized according to the student’s needs.

The membership is two-tiered. There is a Basic (or Silver) membership which costs $25/month and there is a Gold membership which costs $49/month. I am currently running on the 14-day Free Trial (haha!) and I intend to finish the course (and download all the quality videos haha) before the trial period ends lest I get charged in my credit card (which by the way is needed before a student can have an account).

Basically, I really like this service. It is very intuitive. It teaches in the simplest way. It motivates me to do more. It is very accessible. The only downside is the membership fee, but with the quality of the content, it is a very good price for hard core learners. Highly recommended.

I have provided a gallery of screen shots below when I was taking a Track in Treehouse (Pardon me for the many tabs. I was multitasking! Teehee.)

Treehouse is a front-end development library where students can learn how to build websites and apps, write codes, or learn how to start a business.

Treehouse Tracks are the prepared lessons varying from learning how to code for apps to starting a business.

Treehouse Library is a collection of informational content on the different stuff about technology and

Treehouse has a place that caters to the questioning needs of the student. They can ask the teachers, share experiences with the project, and many others.

The Workspaces is the area where the student can apply what he learned in during the teaching sessions. He can start a project and everything will be synced to his account as his progress.

Treehouse Track: Starting a Business

The lessons are mostly in video form. The teachers are accredited. They teach with well modulated voices and are very nstructional.

All lessons are downloadable. You can choose from having a Standard Quality video or a High Quality. Subtitles are also available. If there are some sample activities done in the video, there is a copy of the certain file under ‘Project Files’.

Short quizzes punctuate some of the videos that require calculations or understanding of certain concepts.

Progress is visualized using minimalist yet colorful notification of points.

Some quizzes are longer and would require a number of points before the user would go on the next level, lest he repeats the video lesson.

Another visual way of tracking progress. It also cheers you up!

If you have other matters to attend to, you can always pause the Track and resume some other time. All at your own convenience. The level of progress is also shown with the needed experience points to level up in the Track.

Well, if you got the cash and the willingness to learn in the simplest way possible, then here:

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