On 2/7/07, kirby urner <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > On 2/7/07, David Reed <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > Using Python to slog through procedural programming for a semester > rather than using it as scaffolding to develop some insights into OOP, > including among beginners, is a waste of a good language and a waste > of students' time. I'd be ashamed to be associated with any such > curriculum. I hope this practice proves short lived. We're in a dark age > right now. Lots of crappola. >
I disagree. Calculus is an essential tool for Physics. Yet, teaching an introductory calculus-based Physics course for non physicists/engineers would be totally wrong. Instead, people teach algebra-based introductory physics courses - I have taught both. Programming is a tool used in studying computer science - just like math is a tool useful in the study of Physics. OOP is a modern tool used in studying computer science; just like vector-based calculus is a modern tool used in studying Physics. Choosing to use a simple tool (procedural programming, supplemented by relevant usage of "dot notation" with little if any mention of object/classes) so that more applications of computer science, including graphics, can be covered is most likely more appropriate. You wrote: "we're in a dark age right now". Let me agree and take this statement to the extreme. Forget about OOP. We need to start teaching kids about qubits, and the bra and ket notation. This is where the future lies, with quantum computing and quantum cryptography. Furthermore, the notation is *a lot* simpler than the "rib" syntax which you are so fond of, as long as you only deal with finite dimensional spaces. Yet, I would not argue that this would be appropriate for a CS0 course. Students taking a CS0 course have to be able to write simple programs, in various areas (including graphics). There's nothing wrong in teaching procedurally based programming at that level. What is important is to make them *think* ... not to dazzle them with the latest tool. André > Kirby > > _______________________________________________ > Edu-sig mailing list > [email protected] > http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/edu-sig > > _______________________________________________ Edu-sig mailing list [email protected] http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/edu-sig
