[Edu-sig] Pycon 2008

[Jeff Rush]

Andrew Harrington wrote:
> Earl, I have already asked about taking my students.
> 
> There are likely to be a number of beginner tutorials on Thursday, but
> they cost a substantial amount of money.
> 
> There are a number of talks classified as "beginner", but that
> generally means beginner at some module, not total beginner at Python.
> 
> On Dec 18, 2007 9:31 AM, Earl Strassberger <EJStrassberger at cps.edu> wrote:
>>
>>  I looked over the conference schedule for Pycon 2008 in Chicago.  I am
>> considering taking my few high school students to the conference but I did
>> not see many sessions appropriate for people new to Python.  Can I expect
>> more sessions to be added?  Also, I did not see the cost and I wonder what
>> it is.

Let's not drop this matter.  In my involvement with PyCon over the years,
there has been a wish to involve students but the approach has not been clear,
so no one tackles it.  Each year there is a bit of discussion -- are students
welcome?  should we offer total beginner talks?  if we did would enough people
come to justify it?  enough didn't come last year so why offer them now?  what
if we offer them and just 3 people show up?

Generally the PyCon organizers don't get a lot of involvement in planning from
those who have the necessary contacts with the public and university school
systems, so we don't know -how- to attract that student audience.  Just
offering novice classes doesn't cause them to attend.  That audience has
special needs re scheduling (can they attend weekdays?), money (can they
afford a 3-day ticket?) and topics (are they totally new to Python or just at
a novice level?)

>From the educators here, please give us more information about your needs.

1. What audience are you representing ('students' may mean K-12, 9-12 or
university) each with their own issues.

2. In your opinion, can your students attend on weekends or weekdays?

3. Are your students able to afford any amount whatsoever?  Must it be free?

4. Are you wanting to bring your more advanced students or trying to get
non-programmers interested in how cool Python is?  The former can attend
existing talks but may need financial support, while the latter need custom
presentation content not normally at PyCon.

5. How many students (min and expected#) do you think you can motivate to attend?

6. Will students register in advance or must we play it loose and let those
who walk in the door attend?


And to those qualified to -teach- total non-Python programmers, would you be
willing to prepare a free class?  How about if the PSF paid for your class on
behalf of the students?  Would you be willing to put forth serious effort and
come up with a professional course, with handouts and exercises?  And freely
share your materials with other teachers afterward so it can be replicated
worldwide?  Would it be a half-day, full-day or series of mini topics?  For
what age groups?


Personally I'd really like to see more students at PyCon.  But I don't have
kids nor am I affiliated with a university in any way so I lack the contacts
to make it happen.  We need one or more leaders to come forward and represent
the interests of the students, and I believe such would be welcomed with open
arms by the PyCon and PSF staff.

-Jeff