Introduction - Learning PowerShell in a Month of Lunches

Introduction

As an instructor at a small community college, I am often looking for new ways to teach useful things to my students.  Our school has AAS degrees, so I only get 2 years to teach students everything I can before they graduate and go into the workforce.  Each class needs to be as useful as possible, so we avoid wasting their time.

At our advisory board meeting this August, one of our members told me that the first thing he tells new hires is: "Find a way to replicate yourself."  With the economy the way it is, employees who want to get ahead will learn quickly how to make themselves indispensable.  When I asked him to elaborate, he said, "Teach them scripting with PowerShell."

Our school doesn't have a class on PowerShell, but I do teach a Microsoft Server class.  This seemed to be the best way for me to get started.  I understood the basic concept of PowerShell, but honestly, I had no use for it on a day-to-day basis, and therefore, never took the time to really learn and understand it.  That is where this blog, and this book come in.  

I found the book "Learn PowerShell in a Month of Lunches", 4th ed by James Petty, et al.  The original edition was written by Don Jones.  I think it was the title that made me stop while scrolling through 30 entries on Amazon related to PowerShell.  30 lessons.  That's good.  Our classes at the school are 8 weeks, which boils down to about 32 days.  This might be just the thing to get me started.

To be honest, I started with "Learning PowerShell Scripting in a Month of Lunches", but the introduction warned me.  If you don't understand these 5 commands, start with the first book.  I didn't realize when I bought it, it was essentially the second in the series.  So, I headed back to the first book.

So, I will begin this blog with each of the 30 lessons.  My intention is actually for myself to have a place to reflect on my learning, and to keep track of the commands as I move forward.  However, if anyone feels moved to ask questions or comment on my experience, please feel free to do so!  I'm always a teacher first!

😀


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