How to Teach Python "Variables"

[Aaron Watters]

On Nov 27, 5:31 pm, MonkeeSage <MonkeeS... at gmail.com> wrote:

> Of course. But then it really depends on the teaching methodology,
> doesn't it? There is no reason (well, barring the restraints of the
> curriculum vitea), that one should learn topics so complex as to
> require "off-putting" the *real* meaning until later, when one could
> just as easily learn the basic concepts first. I guess it's a matter
> of preference; whether you build from the top down (ala Berkley) or
> the other way 'round.

As you hint, this is the tip of the iceberg
of some very complex philosophical issues.
For practical instruction I think there is
overwhelming evidence you can't "begin at the beginning".
In mathematics you really can't teach starting
with the axioms of set theory and build up from
there -- you'd never get to long division before
the students will have given up long ago.
Similarly, in computer science you can't just
go off to the beach to get some sand to start
building a computer.  (Although when I was
at Bell Labs the joke was that that was the
Bell Labs attitude.)

In practice you always have to start in the
middle and tell the students not to worry
about stuff that would add an overwhelming
amount of detail.  For example, most beginning
students will have a vague idea what
the filesystem is, even though they will
have to deal with it a lot -- and you don't
want to get mired down for the first few weeks
trying to talk about the filesystem.  Instead
you say "follow these steps and all will
become clear later."  It's not a matter of
preference -- it's a matter of necessity.

  -- Aaron Watters
===
http://www.xfeedme.com/nucular/pydistro.py/go?FREETEXT=lazy+future+generation