[Tutor] Reversi Game Logic

[Alan Gauld]

On 20/03/15 04:50, Danny Yoo wrote:

> Some instructors out there do not realize that unit testing is
> considered a standard technique for introductory programming.  Ask,
> and maybe that will change.

Sadly, unit tests are not considered a standard technique for 
introductory programming. At least not in my part of the world.
They should be, but they ain't. Or not at high school level(*).
I've yet to meet a teacher who even discusses them in the sense
of using unitest type frameworks - they do of course tell
the kids to "test their code" but don't show them how!

Many schools teach programming because they have to, but have no 
qualified staff in the subject, so a teacher, often a math or
science teacher, gets sent off to "do a course". He (usually he!)
returns and teaches what was learned, guided by what is in the
published syllabus. If the kids are really lucky they get somebody
who taught themselves to code (probably in BASIC/VB) when they
were a teenager...

That's not how it should be of course, and the whole RaspberyPi
movement is largely addressed at trying to remedy that situation.
But I have a lot of sympathy for anyone being taught programming
in the high schools around here just now (and for the poor,
ill-equipped  teachers too for that matter!)

Disclaimer:
Of course other places may have squadrons of properly trained and 
knowledgeable teachers. In which case, be very happy!

(*) I'm not sure about the current state of play in universities.
I know I was never taught anything about testing at university
but things may well have moved on there.

-- 
Alan G
Author of the Learn to Program web site
http://www.alan-g.me.uk/
http://www.amazon.com/author/alan_gauld
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