[Edu-sig] teaching in a classroom again...

[kirby urner]

On Mon, Aug 6, 2012 at 11:10 AM, Henrique Bastos <henrique at bastos.net> wrote:
> Hello, Kirby!
>
> I really liked your use of VPython to teach. I didn't knew this tool.
>

Yes VPython is such a fantastic tool.  We've had a proponent argue
vehemently it should be considered part of Python's standard library,
if it hopes to stay relevant...

A counter-argument is "standard library" is not about "most important"
or "most critical" just more a matter of jurisdiction in that the PSF
takes explicit responsibility for upkeep of the former.

Visual Python is developed / maintained independently of any PSF work
to assemble the various Python distros via python.org

Anyway, like Numpy, the VPython option could be mission critical to
some schools (such as mine, for that week anyway).

> I'm already organizing a learning activity with a friend who is a physics teacher to see how the students feel about this visualization tool.
>

It takes only two lines of code to make something pop up that's visual:

>>> from visual import *
>>> sphere(radius = 1, pos=(0,0,0), color=color.red)

and that's already more arguments than really necessary.

However, to get things moving, which is what physics is usually
wanting, you have to keep updating pos in a loop, but then you don't
want things to go too fast, so there's controlling the frame rate.

In other words, to get things to actually move in screen takes more
doing.  My movingballs2.py provides an example.

> Thank you very much for sharing.
>

Best wishes with your experiments.  I've seen some really amazing
talks showing off Python's capabilities talking directly to OpenGL.
Like this guy's:

http://blip.tv/pycon-us-videos-2009-2010-2011/pycon-2011-algorithmic-generation-of-opengl-geometry-4900884

In other words, VPython is not by itself Python's only grip on 3D
visualizations.  However, it's one of the sleekest with one of the
fastest learning curves.  Definitely worth a close look.

Kirby

> []'s,
> --
> Henrique Bastos
> +55 21 9618-6180
> http://henriquebastos.net
> Twitter: henriquebastos
> Gtalk: henrique at bastos.net
> Skype: henriquebastos.net
>
> On 06/08/2012, at 14:13, kirby urner <kirby.urner at gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> On Thu, Aug 2, 2012 at 7:31 AM, kirby urner <kirby.urner at gmail.com> wrote:
>>> I've again been teaching teens, no my usual practice these days, but a
>>> fun variation on the theme.
>>>
>>
>> OK, I finished this one week gig.  Here's a write-up, though mixed
>> with the flotsam and jetsam of life:
>>
>> http://worldgame.blogspot.com/2012/08/adventures-in-teaching-and-driving.html
>>
>> Back to regularly scheduled programming (for me that is),
>>
>> Kirby

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