On 2/9/07, Vern Ceder <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
kirby urner wrote: > > Here's some field tested code I guess I'm kind of curious as to what you mean by "field tested". The 'field' part I get, of course. But "tested" how? Or I guess I mean "what was the test, and how were the results judged?", if that makes sense...
Fair question. In this case of coupler.py, my field tester is a welder-geometer in New Zealand who got it working and then came back with a VRML world on the same subject. He's studying Python on his own, using Zelle's book, which just arrived. Here're a couple of recent exchanges from a public archive on Yahoo!: ====
Yes, stickworks.py and coupler.py should both go in site-packages, but then VPython needs to be installed as well. All you get from Coupler at the moment is a red and green network of edges, centered around the XYZ origin, the axes in blue. Kirby
Hi Kirby: I have Vpython and with stickworks.py was able to run coupler.py. I did a SpringDAnce VRML of 8 mites with each corner on a cube grid. http://members.westnet.com.au/dharmraj/vrml/KmiteCube.wrl dharmraj --- Re: Drafting another storyboard Kirby
That's trully excellent. So that's a Coupler then, what you did.
I was hoping you would like it. I thought a visual model of what you were programming would help
Each MITE is two blue-yellow arms holding a purple, green spine.
true
Same volume as a tetrahedron, inscribed as face diags of that green 2-frequency cube.
true
What you may have done already (if so, please link?) or might want to do, is said 8 mites each subdivided into two As (left and right) plus one B (left or right).
is this what you mean? http://members.westnet.com.au/dharmraj/vrml/coupler.wrl my new Python book arrived...Python Programming (an introduction to Computer Science) by John Zelle... cheers, sw dharmraj ---
is this what you mean? http://members.westnet.com.au/dharmraj/vrml/coupler.wrl
Yes, exactly! I'll add that as a link as well, to coupler.py
my new Python book arrived...Python Programming (an introduction to Computer Science) by John Zelle... cheers, sw dharmraj
That's probably the best published book for starting out with Python. Later, maybe check the free online Dive Into Python tutorial, also published by Apress if you want hardcopy. http://www.diveintopython.org/ Kirby BTW, I'm not questioning the use VPython by any means - I think its got
great potential as a way to explore programming. Cheers, Vern
Yes, and to explore geometry, like Arthur was doing with Pygeo. As far as measuring student success, it's what they're able to code themselves, using pre-existing code as a basis, that I go by. Each student has Python + VPython + various modules. They save code from week to week and gradually build up a portfolio. They show off their creations when the parents come to pick them up. I asked one of my students to send me his source code for the 3-frequency tetrahedron but he never did. The class itself is written up in my blog, complete with digicam shots of some of the whiteboard content. I'm able to fish up some of that content with the following query: http://worldgame.blogspot.com/search?q=%22saturday+academy%22 You'll find at least one of my worksheets (PDF) used with 8th graders in public school here: http://www.4dsolutions.net/ocn/winterhaven/ But I don't publish actual student responses, which would be a clearer measure of their level of comprehension. Kirby
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