[Tutor] Help with Code (beginner) Error message

[Gregor Lingl]

Magnus Lycka schrieb:

> At 02:57 2002-11-20 +0100, I wrote:
>
>> At 01:09 2002-11-20 +0000, Gonçalo Rodrigues wrote:
>> [Quite a lot]
>>
>> I'm not sure exactly how we should treat this, but I do think
>> that school assignments should be done by the students, not by
>> the mailing list. ...
>
> ....
>
> I don't think we really help students to learn if we solve
> their problems for them, and I certainly don't think we
> should help spoiling our own profession by helping people
> to get grades they don't deserve.
>
> I don't know how many times I've done this without being
> aware of it... (I guess the python teachers should follow
> both c.l.py and tutor to see how "creative" their students
> are...)
>
> I think the right solution is to point people to tutorials
> like Danny did, or to explain general concepts that the
> student doesn't seem to grasp. But not modifying their own
> code to show this.
>
Agreed. Just let me add a few points:

1. There are many ways, students can find solutions for their
assignments, not only from mailinglists like tutor, but also
e. g. from friends, collegues, books, from elsewhere in the internet.
2. Teachers, i suppose, have different means to find out if their
students have understood, what they "produce".
3. So it's not our responsibility to assure that students do their
work properly or to hinder them to cheat.
4. Of course it would be waste of time and effort, if the gurus of lists 
like
this would endlessly repeat explanations of the most simple things -
i think Danny explained in a concise and clear way how top proceed
instead..
5. On the other hand: trying to explain things is a very rewarding and 
efficient
way to learn as well as to test if one has understood things well.
I occurred not only once at tutor's, that "Newbies" developed to
tutors, and began to propagate their just acquired knowledge to others
just arriving at the list.
I think, we should encourage this, which would possibly result in a even
more colorful and diversified communication.
how could this be accompished?
 - perhaps not each and every tiny question should be answered by
the masters here. Especially not for the 2nd or 3rd time. (I'm far from
beeing able to answer every question posted here, but even if have an
answer i sometimes wait, if somebody else posts a reply.)
- We - the 'ordinary' members - should make every effort to
give "good" explanations, by learning from the excellent writing style
and educational approach (?) of  the 'gurus'.
So every member could give as well as recieve thus producing
a lively equilibrium.
I hope some of my ideas survived their translation int my rather
poor English.
Regards, Gregor