[soc2008-general] Teaching Python

[Alan G Isaac]

On Tue, 25 Mar 2008, Unni apparently wrote:
> What would the PSF say to a project that aimed simply at 
> providing learning environment for students complete with 
> flowchart designs, tutorials, help indexes on various 
> libraries and maybe a mini-robot that can be controlled 
> using the python code you write. 

I am going to suggest that it is easy to underestimate
what these kids can learn and what it takes to keep them
interested.

Context: last summer my son (8 years old) did two weeks
of programming as part of a day camp.  I was very dubious
about this project and told the camp so.  I was wrong:
he loved it.

The used MicroWorlds, which looks like a commercial 
implementation of NetLogo (with a few nice bells and 
whistles).

My suggestion: shoot higher.  Think of implementing
a NetLogo like environment and plugging in kid-oriented 
modules.

Cheers,
Alan Isaac