[Edu-sig] [Python-Help] Certification (fwd)

[Daniel Yoo]

Dear Waldo,

I'll forward you message to the edu-sig folks for you; they're definitely
the people you want to talk to about Python in education.  I hope that
they'll be able to help answer your questions on certification.
 
Off the top of my head: Learning Tree offers a course in Python
programming:
 
    http://www.learningtree.com/
    http://www.learningtree.com/us/ilt/courses/430.htm
 
and they seem to focus on certification a bit, so you might want to talk
to them.  I'll let the other edu-sig'ers give their insight to your
question too... *grin* Good luck to you.
 
---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Tue, 27 Mar 2001 17:50:14 -0500
From: Waldo Jaquith <waldo@waldo.net>
To: help@python.org
Subject: [Python-Help] Certification

Folks,

This probably isn't the best address to write to, but I'm really not
interested in joining any mailing lists or anything right now.

I'm a board member of the Information Technology Academy in Charlottesville,
Virginia, USA.  In a nutshell, we're working with local public schools to
offer programming and computer-related education.  Such things exist in
schools now, but, frankly, they suck.

I want to start kids off with Python.  It's the best language to start on,
or so people keep telling me.  Right now they start on Visual Basic, which
is disgusting.  The problem is that you can't teach kids things in school
unless you can prove that they've learned something.  And to prove that
they've learned something, you have to have a test.  And to have a test, you
have to be able to develop some sort of standards, or demonstrate that the
standards exist.  I'm not about to lobby the Commonwealth of Virginia to
accept whatever Python standards that I might decide are good.

On the other hand, if there were a commercial entity (non-profit or
otherwise) that created a Python certification program, that would be good
enough for the board of education.  So my question is this: is there now, or
will there soon be, such certification?  I know such measurements are
worthless to you and me, but they're essential to get Python in the
classroom.

Thanks for your time.

Best,
Waldo

--
#define K(i)(x[i]^s[i+84])<<
unsigned char x[5],y,z,s[2048];main(n){for(read(0,x,5);read(0,s,n=2048);
write(1,s,n))if(s[y=s[13]%8+20]/16%4==1){int i=K(1)17^256+K(0)8,k=K(2)0,
j=K(4)17^K(3)9^k*2-k%8^8,a=0,b=0,c=26;for(s[y]-=16;--c;i/=2,j/=2)a=a*2^1
&1,b=b*2^j&1;for(j=127;++j<n;c=z+c>y)a^=a>>14,a=a>>8^(y=a^a*8^a<<6)<<9,
b=b>>8^(z=b^b/8^b>>4^b>>12)<<17,i=s[j],i="7Wo~'G_\216"[i&7]+2^"cr3sfw6v;
*k+>/n."[i>>4]*2^i*257/8,s[j]=i^(i&i*2&34)*6^z+c+~y;}} Charles M. Hannum


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