RS> A highly intelligent programmer can do better with a dumb compiler, than RS> a dumb programmer with a highly intelligent compiler.
Great quote! May I reuse it? >> If I were to teach a class to middle-schoolers or high-schoolers >> (which I hope to do soon), Python probably wouldn't be my first >> choice (although I'd be sorely tempted). I'd probably lean toward >> Scheme for high-schoolers (the DrScheme environment is quite >> impressive from an educational standpoint), and Squeak for >> middle-schoolers. I joined this list because I genuinely want to >> engage in discussion about how to make Python more suited for >> education. RS> I could certainly try Scheme and Squeak in a pedagogical context. RS> Right now, I can give only my testimony that Python syntax and rich RS> library support makes it an adequate tool for introductory CS and RS> Computer Engineering courses. It is a much better choice than C or Java, RS> that are currently largely adopted here in Brazil. And I am fighting RS> to change RS> that. I have in recent years taught Python, Scheme (DrScheme), ML (SML), SmallTalk (Squeak), and Prolog (SWI) to college seniors in a Programming Languages course. Without any scientific "evidence", I can only tell you that they *loved* Python and tolerated the rest. But of course, how this would apply to a less sophisticated audience I cannot say. >> 6. I want to wrap this up with one more point that I'd love to see >> discussed here. It seems to me that ideally, an educational >> programming language should emphasize one of the dominant >> programming paradigms in a very "pure" fashion. But Python, as >> useful as it is, is anything but "pure". RS> "Although practicality beats purity." [3] This is an important consideration. How many "pure" languages can you use and get paid? Our focus at UVSC is to prepare graduates for useful employment, while at the same time not skimping one whit on theory and still requiring them to think. There's nothing like solving real problems. One must emerge from Toyland eventually. It should be before graduation. RS> But since Python should never be the *only* tool to be taught, RS> when purity matters the teacher can fall back to the usual RS> suspects. Indeed. -- Best regards, Chuck _______________________________________________ Edu-sig mailing list Edu-sig@python.org http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/edu-sig
