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<DIV>I posted a question a few years back dealing with ‘first languages’.
This community was tremendously helpful and because of your help my school now
teaches Python and students enjoy the language. Among the most
notable outcomes I have noticed is that students are engaged in their learning,
they think through their problems and they help each other solve problems
(teamwork). My department, Business Education, has no state standards for
learning in which students are tested on for No Child Left Behind (NCLB)
testing, therefore, I am trying to show how my lessons support, or reinforce,
other core academic standards, most notably mathematics. My school is on
the NCLB academic watch list and needs to help better develop student’s math
skills. All departments outside of the core academic departments have been
asked by administration to reinforce pre-algebra skills for all students as this
is a common skill set among all departments and a tested skill set on NCLB
testing. This Python course does reinforce pre-algebra skills, and algebra
and some geometry as well as reinforces several Illinois state math
standards. In the future I would like to work closely with our math
department to try to mirror my Python curriculum with the pre-algebra and
algebra 1 classes, this should further help students by reinforcing topics in a
timely manner. Currently, the Python curriculum is very introductory,
there is no math prerequisite for the course and even special education
students take the course and seem to be showing progress in their problem
solving and critical thinking skills.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>I would like to make a recommendation to our administration and counselors
that the Python course be ‘strongly recommended’ for all students. Here is
my situation however: my school district recently went to data driven
decision-making and all decisions must answer the question, “How will this
action impact student achievement?” and they must be backed up with data.
Once again, I am asking this community for help. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Can anyone point me to data that shows a positive relationship between
Python, or programming in general, and increased math skills among students, or
increased student achievement on standardized tests? I have found some
research that shows a positive correlation between algebra knowledge and a
higher success in programming, but does the opposite exist, does programming
knowledge help math skills?</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>I have been so pleased with student’s eagerness and engagement in the
class. The course is basically all math up and down the curriculum but I
don't think the students realize that, they view it as electronic puzzle
solving. I'm not doing anything out of the ordinary, I'm simply using two
books (Computer Programming Is Fun by David Handy and Python Programming for the
Absolute Beginner by Michael Dawson) and the students are engaged. If
Python is making math fun and engaging then I have to think that students who
have some knowledge of Python must be improving their math skills. I will
track this data at my school but any other data to support this feeling would be
greatly appreciated. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Thank you for your help.<BR>Joe Ehlers<BR></DIV></BODY></HTML>