[Edu-sig] Thoughts from a lurker

[Trent A. Oliphant]

I just want to add how much I appreciate all of the effort that a few go to
in these discussions that I gain so much from.

I am only a part-time hack programmer (a little of VBA in Access) and a
little Python when I get a chance (Both self-taught).  And my input in
education is as a home-schooling father (unschooling being my choice of
methodology).  But I am greatly interested in both of these areas and thus
have been subscribed to this list for quite a long period of time.

The fact that these discussions are taking place, help me to understand
things better myself, not just of Python, but of the learning process and
how computers and technology fits in to that.

The recent discussion on 0 vs 1 based indexing has been very helpful to me
in that regard.  (Although, I still have to think each time I want to take a
slice from the end of a list. For some reason I haven't quite "understood"
exactly what the notation means. I can get it each time - but I don't "know"
it enough for it to come naturally, I'll send a separate post to explain my
confusion each time.).

I have often been frustrated over the general sense that any computer
"training" is just how to do tasks, with no explanation of why. This is
especially true in the business world, which is why I have avoided taking
any classes to learn about computers.  I would hope that a Computer Science
program would be different, but having never taken a course I wouldn't know.
(I have been a software trainer myself and when I had the opportunity, I
tried to develop cirriculum that included the why of doing things.)

One thing that I have noticed about most computer cirriculum - especially
books, is that I am able to understand them very well (and quickly) up to a
certain point.  Then it seems as if there is a huge leap - as if there is a
chapter or two missing (or more).  Unfortunately, I don't have any specific
examples at this point - I will try to find them.  I end up feeling like
Alice upon hearing "The Jabberwocky" - it seems as if it should make sense,
but it just doesn't.

>From an edu-sig standpoint, is this experience typical?  If so, why? And can
anything be done about it?  Is it a matter of "computer literacy readiness"?

That is the one reason I joined this SIG - to find out how to make learning
these things more accessible to me, and hopefully to others as well.

Trent Oliphant