It’s been eye-opening for me to read about the multimodal epistemological model in live coding. It’s improved my comprehension of the various types of expertise and ability that go into becoming proficient in live coding. For me, this idea has been immensely comforting because I often feel inadequate because of my perceived lack of technical skill. I even feel incompetent at times. However, this concept has enabled me to see that my formal programming language expertise and my ability to write perfect code are not the only factors that determine my value as a live coder. Rather, it highlights the significance of embodied knowledge, reflective practice, and experience learning.

I identify personally with the notion that acquiring information entails combining many forms of understanding. It confirms my conviction that the experiences and learnings I get from practicing live coding—even when it means making mistakes—are important contributions to my development as a coder. It gives me the confidence to accept my learning and growth path and the knowledge that mistakes are to be expected along my journey.

It has also been immensely liberating for me to realize the playfulness and autotelic nature of live coding. The pressure to perform flawlessly in front of an audience during live coding sessions has often been unbearable for me as a performer who is used to being on stage. But my attitude has changed when I realized that the fun of live coding comes from the process itself, not from reaching perfection. It has aided in my realization that accepting experimentation, ambiguity, and even failure as necessary components of the creative process is acceptable. I can now approach live coding with interest and playfulness instead of fear and worry – although it will be hard to get rid of these habits.

This reading about live coding has also prompted me to explore different ways of thinking. It has forced me to see coding as a kind of creative expression and problem-solving as well as a technical ability. I can now think more creatively and innovatively when I code thanks to this mentality change. I now view live coding as a chance to participate in a dynamic conversation between creativity and technology, where experimentation and improvisation are valued, as opposed to concentrating only on creating flawless code.