Becoming a Speaker at ToT Coding x OPPO TSM Bandung
Talking about coding in front of other people feels very different from working on code by yourself.
When coding alone, if you encounter an error, you can take a break, open the documentation, search for a solution, or even leave the problem for a while. 😄
But when you're standing in front of participants as a speaker, things are a little different.
You're not only expected to understand the material. You also need to be able to explain technical concepts in a way that other people can understand.
Recently, I had the opportunity to become one of the speakers at the ToT Coding x OPPO TSM Bandung event.
For me, this wasn't simply another technology event.
It was an opportunity to share knowledge about coding and programming while learning more about communication, teaching, and how to explain technical concepts to others.
What Is ToT Coding?
ToT stands for Training of Trainers.
In simple terms, it is a training process designed to prepare participants so they can eventually share the knowledge and skills they have learned with other people.
In the context of ToT Coding, the focus is on helping participants understand coding and programming while also developing their ability to teach or share those skills with others.
I think this kind of program is interesting because technology isn't only something we need to learn.
It is also something we can share with others.
The more people who have access to technology education, the greater the opportunity to build a stronger digital ecosystem.
My Experience as a Coding Speaker
During this event, I had the opportunity to experience technology from a slightly different perspective.
Usually, I spend much of my time in front of a laptop working on projects, discussing requirements, or solving technical problems.
This time, I had to stand in front of participants and deliver material as a speaker.
There was one thing I realized:
Understanding a topic and explaining that topic are two different skills.
You can understand a technical concept very well.
But when you need to explain it to someone else, you have to think about how to make that concept easier to understand.
And I think that's where the real challenge begins.
Not Everyone Understands Coding the Same Way
When learning programming, everyone comes from a different background.
Some people already have experience with coding.
Others may be completely new to programming.
Some people understand concepts better through theory.
Others learn faster by actually building something.
There are also people who need simple examples before moving into more complex concepts.
Because of this, being a speaker isn't only about preparing the material.
We also need to understand who we're teaching.
The way we explain a concept to an experienced developer will obviously be different from the way we explain it to someone who has just started learning coding.
For me, learning how to adapt the way I communicate is one of the most interesting parts of teaching.
From "Coding" to "How to Teach Coding"
Another interesting part of this experience was that I didn't only think about what I needed to explain, but also how I should explain it.
For example, when talking about programming, we could immediately introduce technical terms such as:
Variables
Functions
Algorithms
APIs
Frameworks
Databases
Objects
Programming logic
But introducing too many technical terms at once can easily overwhelm someone who is just starting to learn.
That's why I try to start with something simpler.
For example:
Problem → Logic → Code → Output
Once the basic flow is understood, it becomes easier to explain how coding can be used to solve a problem.
Becoming a Speaker Also Improved My Communication Skills
One of the biggest things I took away from this experience was the importance of communication skills.
As people working in technology, we can sometimes become too comfortable using technical terminology.
When talking to another developer, that's usually not a problem.
But when communicating with people from different backgrounds, we need to adjust our approach.
We need to be able to turn:
Technical Concept
into:
Simple Explanation
And I believe this skill is useful far beyond teaching.
It is also extremely important in professional technology environments.
What Did I Learn from Being a Coding Speaker?
There were several things that stood out to me from my experience at the ToT Coding x OPPO TSM Bandung event.
1. Understanding the Material Isn't Enough
As developers, we may feel that understanding how to build something is enough.
But when we have to teach it, we need to understand the concept more deeply.
Participants may ask:
"Why do we use this approach?"
rather than simply:
"How do we build this?"
Questions about why often force us to think more deeply about the technology we use.
2. Teaching Makes Us Learn Again
This is probably one of the most interesting things about teaching.
When we explain something to someone else, we naturally revisit what we have learned.
Sometimes, we even discover a completely different perspective.
The process becomes:
Learn → Practice → Teach → Get Questions → Learn Again
So teaching doesn't mean we've stopped learning.
In fact:
Teaching can be another way of learning.
3. Don't Be Afraid of Questions
As a speaker, questions from participants are something you can't always predict.
Some questions may be very simple.
Others can be surprisingly technical.
And sometimes you get a question that makes you think:
"Hmm... that's an interesting question."
😄
For me, that's actually part of what makes teaching enjoyable.
Questions from other people can open up perspectives that we may never have considered before.
Technology Doesn't Grow If We Only Learn by Ourselves
For me, activities like ToT Coding have an important role.
Technology changes quickly.
Frameworks evolve.
Tools change.
AI continues to develop.
And the way we build software continues to evolve.
Because of that, the ability to learn and share knowledge is becoming increasingly important.
We don't have to become an expert before we start sharing.
Sometimes, the experience we have today can be incredibly useful to someone who is just starting their journey.
From Developer to Educator
Being a speaker also gave me another perspective on career paths in technology.
We often think of a developer's career path as something like:
Junior Developer → Mid-Level Developer → Senior Developer → Lead → Manager
But there are actually many other directions.
One of them is becoming someone who actively contributes to technology education.
For example:
Coding Instructor
Technical Mentor
Programming Tutor
Workshop Speaker
Technology Educator
Developer Advocate
Experiences like becoming a speaker at a coding event give us an opportunity to explore these roles.
Event Documentation: ToT Coding x OPPO TSM Bandung
For me, the photos from this event are more than just documentation.
They remind me that working in technology isn't always about writing code in front of a laptop.
Sometimes, we need to step away from the screen.
Meet other people.
Share what we know.
Listen to questions.
And try to explain something we understand to someone else.
That's one of the things that makes a career in technology more interesting.
Conclusion
Becoming a speaker at the ToT Coding x OPPO TSM Bandung event was a valuable experience for me.
I learned that being someone who understands technology isn't only about how many programming languages or frameworks we know.
The ability to explain, communicate, share knowledge, and help others understand technology is also an important part of being a technology professional.
This experience reminded me that:
Learning is important, but sharing what you learn can create an even bigger impact.
Because ultimately, technology isn't only about what we can build by ourselves.
It's also about how the knowledge we have can help other people grow.
And for me, becoming a speaker at ToT Coding x OPPO TSM Bandung was one of those experiences that reminded me of exactly that.
