[Edu-sig] Re: PyCrust, IDLE

[Kirby Urner]

At 10:26 PM 10/14/2001 +0200, Christian Mascher wrote:

>Together with a beamer, we often start by using one IDLE-shell as an
>experimental interface, where one pupil can code an algorithm and test
>it directly, while the class can follow the interaction on the projected
>screen. Any occuring errors can be corrected by others, functions can be
>modified step by step in hardly any time. This is a very efficient way
>in working with a whole class. We seldom edit a file. In the case that
>we do, the process is slowed down by the distraction of having to save
>the file etc. In IDLE we stay focussed on building the
>function-algorithm. And we can play around a lot even in a classroom
>situation, because we don't have to type that much when we do a change.

This is all music to my ears.  Very cool that you're teaching
in this way, with a beamer and everything.  Sounds like 7th
heaven to me.

For more complicated functions and/or objects, I imagine saving
the work by cutting/pasting the working/debugged code to an open
window, saving as a module.  That does take time, as indentation
can be an issue (but there's block dedent/indent).  Then, next
day, or a week later, you can pull up the saved code and further
enchance, modify etc.

This is how I'd gradually evolve a Fraction or Matrix object
say.  One day, we'd work on Fraction * Fraction, by overriding
__mul__.  On another day, we'd implement addition.  And so on.
Also, once a module is saved, if students work on their own
computers, they can pull it off the server and start from where
the projected demo left off.

Kirby