Python in High School

[Stef Mientki]

John Henry wrote:
> On Apr 1, 11:10 am, sprad <jsp... at gmail.com> wrote:
>   
>> On Apr 1, 11:41 am, mdomans <mdom... at gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>>     
>>> Python needs no evangelizing but I can tell you that it is a powerfull
>>> tool. I prefer to think that flash is rather visualization tool than
>>> programing language, and java needs a lot of typing and a lot of
>>> reading. On the other hand python is simple to read and write, can be
>>> debuged easily, is intuitive and saves a lot of time. It also supports
>>> batteries included policy and you can't get more OO than python.
>>>       
>> One advantage of Flash is that we can have something moving on the
>> screen from day one, and add code to it piece by piece for things like
>> keyboard or mouse control, more and more complex physics, etc. Is
>> there an equivalent project in Python?
>>     
>
> I downloaded the "How to Think Like a Python Programmer" book and read
> it.  I think it's a fine reference book for the purpose you
> indicated.
>
> Here's my 2 cents on the subject.
>
> I had been a volunteer mentor to my son's middle school robotic team
> for several years and I have some experiences, therefore, in how kids
> react to "programming".  Granted, high school kids are "bigger kids" -
> but they are kids nevertheless.
>
> Last summer, I experimented teaching my own kid Python.  He was in 7th
> grade going onto 8th grade.  He was the main goto person for the
> robotic team and had no trouble learning the common applications such
> as the Microsoft Office suite, and had some experience in ICONic
> programming (Lego Mindstorm).  So, I tried to see what would happen if
> he tries to learn Python - using somewhat similar approach you are
> taking: start with something visually appealing on day one.  Instead
> of Flash, I used Pythoncard - a no-brainer Python GUI construction
> toolkit.  He was really excited seeing how easy it was to have tic-tae-
> toe type program up so easily (we are taking minutes - not hours) and
> was very interested and motivated to continue.  So far so good.
> However, once I start teaching him variables, expressions, loops, and
> what not, I found that (by surprise) he had great difficulties
> catching on.  Not soon after that, we had to quit.
>
> We - as adults - take many things for granted and sometimes don't
> remember, or don't understand how kids learn.  My experience tells me
> that in order to teach today's video game generation of kids, the
> approach really has to be entirely visual.  After I abandoned my
> attempt to teach my kid Python, I started them on Robolab - a
> simplified version of LabView and to my delight, they were able to
> cook up a few simple programs (like fibonacci series and so forth)
> without too much effort - although my own kid had some minor trouble
> understanding the concept of a container (LabView's version of a
> variable).
>
> I don't know if you have access to LabView or Robolab or similar
> packages but if you do, I would highly recommend those.  LabView is
> every bit as powerful, full-featured, and "real-life" as many of the
> other languages and I believe that kids will have a much easier time
> learning computer programming with it.
>   
Well I doubt it's the visual environment that makes it more easy,
color, shape and position can give some extra information though.
I think apriori domain knowledge and flattness of information are of far 
more importance.
The first issue is covered quit well by Robolab / Labview,
but the second issue certainly is not.
I'm right now working on a Labview like editor in Python,
which does obey the demand for flatness of information.
The first results can be seen here:
http://oase.uci.kun.nl/~mientki/data_www/pylab_works/pw_animations_screenshots.html

cheers,
Stef Mientki
> And you are going to teach them Java?  Oh, please don't.  Let the
> colleges torture them.  :=)
>