Mailman 3 March 2010 - Edu-sig

PyKata ready
by David MacQuigg 21 Mar '10

21 Mar '10

In the open-source spirit of "release early", PyKata is now ready!! The website development will be finished ... real soon :>) Anyone who would like to contribute an exercise is now welcome. If you contributed to the old PyWhip website, you might want to copy your contribution over to PyKata. (Sorry we couldn't do this with Google App Engine. Looks like they are rushing ahead with new features for end users, and leaving us developers with a few headaches - like not being able to rename a project, or even clone an old one to the new name!!) That said, I am very pleased with App Engine. This is the infrastructure we need when we get to thousands of users. I've uploaded a draft of a new help file - bitsNbytes.py (at http://pykata.appspot.com/help). This topic is not the most important right now (we should be filling in the basic topics first), but I'm working with a class in cryptography, and we do a lot of bit-level manipulations. What I would like is some comments and suggestions. The examples in this file will be what we expand on with exercises and more helpful text. Have I chosen the right examples? Do I have the best way to do it in each example? Unlike other areas where we often have a clear best choice, working with bits and bytes in Python seems to have a bewildering collection of ways to do it, and not a clear winner. -- Dave ************************************************************ * * David MacQuigg, PhD email: macquigg at ece.arizona.edu * * * Research Associate phone: USA 520-721-4583 * * * * ECE Department, University of Arizona * * * * 9320 East Mikelyn Lane * * * * http://purl.net/macquigg Tucson, Arizona 85710 * ************************************************************ *

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Voice-and-vision enabled open source educational software project in Python
by John Graves 21 Mar '10

21 Mar '10

Progress on the Open Allure project http://openallureds.org has led to demonstrated capabilities relating to voice recognition http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tfKTk6rgWsA (and, more broadly, "gesture" or touchless pointing at http://bit.ly/openallure ) which suggest the potential for this type of system to become a viable and successful platform for collaborative development of intelligent interactive tutors which talk, watch, listen and respond in pedagogically meaningful ways on a wide variety of topics. The code for Open Allure is open source Python and the current version taps into the pygame, nltk and BeautifulSoup libraries. Please take a look at the demonstration video(s) and consider, at least, sharing your ideas at http://www.allourideas.org/openallure If you'd like to be kept updated with developments on the project, please subscribe to the YouTube channel (above) or the Google discussion list at http://bit.ly/openalluregg Your insights and contributions will be much appreciated. John Graves john.graves(a)aut.ac.nz PhD Student Auckland University of Technology New Zealand

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[ANNC] pynguin-0.4 (python turtle graphics application)
by Lee Harr 14 Mar '10

14 Mar '10

Pynguin is a python-based turtle graphics application. It combines an editor, interactive interpreter, and graphics display area. It is meant to be an easy environment for introducing some programming concepts to beginning programmers. http://pynguin.googlecode.com/ This release continues adding basic functionality and refining the interface. If you are interested, please take a look and let me know what you think. Pynguin is tested with Python 2.6.4 and uses PyQt (4.6) for its GUI elements. Pynguin is released under GPLv3. Changes in pynguin-0.4: - improved document switcher - added easy 'random' color access - added new commands - onscreen - onclick - stamp - viewcoords - winding fill now default - added method to switch between winding/oddeven fill - show file name in window header - more examples - added default values for examples that take parameters - fixed star example for even number of sides - fixed crash when changing to alternate view image - fixed problem running code with blank lines - fixed problem with ctrl key getting stuck on - added bug report option in Help menu - allow keypad Enter same as Return - factored in to multiple files Changes in pynguin-0.3: - added new commands - goto - turnto - lineto - distance - toward - write - added more examples - fixed problem when changing speed while code is running - editor auto-indent improvement _________________________________________________________________ Hotmail: Powerful Free email with security by Microsoft. https://signup.live.com/signup.aspx?id=60969

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TurtleArt, Etoys, Scratch, GameMaker
by Daniel Ajoy 11 Mar '10

11 Mar '10

Comparison between TurtleArt, Etoys, Scratch, and GameMaker, on how they represent basic math concepts: * Negative Numbers (the number line) * Equality * Assignment * Binary arithmetic operator, addition * Decimal Numbers http://tonyforster.blogspot.com/2010/03/programming-and-mathematics.html

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Re: [Edu-sig] Method / Functions - What are the differences?
by John Posner 10 Mar '10

10 Mar '10

[ cross-posting to edu-sig ] Bruno (and anyone else interested) -- As I promised/threatened, here's the *start* of a write-up on properties, aimed at non-advanced Python programmers: http://www.jjposner.net/media/python-properties-0310.pdf I'm interested in corrections, of course. But I'm also interested in opinions as to whether this somewhat lengthy treatment is worth the effort -- does it improve on existing write-ups? Tx, John

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[ANNC] pynguin-0.2 (python turtle graphics application)
by Lee Harr 08 Mar '10

08 Mar '10

Pynguin is a python-based turtle graphics application. It combines an editor, interactive interpreter, and graphics display area. It is meant to be an easy environment for introducing some programming concepts to beginning programmers. http://pynguin.googlecode.com/ This release continues adding basic functionality and corrects some annoyances. If you are interested, please take a look and let me know what you think. Pynguin is tested with Python 2.6.4 and uses PyQt (4.6) for its GUI elements. Pynguin is released under GPLv3. Changes in pynguin-0.2: - added fill mode - added basic auto-indent in editor - added quick links to recent documents - added quick links to example files - even out speeds when drawing short line segments - added animated circle drawing - now exports entire drawing, even if not visible on screen - fixed initial drawing speed to match menu - fixed-width fonts in editor and interactive interpreter - added classic turtle image - file browser now starts in user's home directory - removed scrollbars on graphic view - now extends lines when animating _________________________________________________________________ Hotmail: Trusted email with Microsoft’s powerful SPAM protection. https://signup.live.com/signup.aspx?id=60969

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Fwd: [pinoy-python-users] Dreampie - a new graphical shell for Python
by kirby urner 04 Mar '10

04 Mar '10

Anyone here on edu-sig have experience with the product below (appended from user group traffic)? I've been away on math-teach duty, expostulating on tetrahedral mensuration again, the intersection with Python + VPython (or Python + POV-Ray) being polyhedra, vector objects etc. http://mathforum.org/kb/thread.jspa?threadID=2047973&tstart=15 I don't get coherent / articulate objections to these proposals, so it's not like I'm countering specific arguments. The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics seems to have come around. http://www.bfi.org/our_programs/bfi_community/synergetics/synergetics/nctm_… math-thinking-l has gone back to sleep. This essay remains one of my strongest, re a type-based object-oriented approach to algebra (what the functional programmers will probably want to shoot down): http://mathforum.org/kb/message.jspa?messageID=6992862&tstart=0 Today's concern is how to counter the stereotype of Computational Math as purely sedentary. Doing mathematics and doing physically strenuous activities should not always been considered opposite ends of the spectrum. Kirby ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: JM Maranan <jmmaranan(a)gmail.com> Date: Wed, Mar 3, 2010 at 6:00 PM Subject: [pinoy-python-users] Dreampie - a new graphical shell for Python To: Pinoy-Python-Users <pinoy-python-users(a)googlegroups.com> Just found out a new Python shell from the mailing list. Here is a feature in a breeze from the author himself I'm pleased to announce DreamPie 1.0 - a new graphical interactive Python shell! Some highlights: * Has whatever you would expect from a graphical Python shell - attribute completion, tooltips which show how to call functions, highlighting of matching parentheses, etc. * Fixes a lot of IDLE nuisances - in DreamPie interrupt always works, history recall and completion works as expected, etc. * Results are saved in the Result History. * Long output is automatically folded so you can focus on what's important. * Jython and IronPython support makes DreamPie a great tool for exploring Java and .NET classes. * You can copy any amount of code and immediately execute it, and you can also copy code you typed interactively into a new file, with the Copy Code Only command. No tabs are used! * Free software licensed under GPL version 3. Check it out at http://dreampie.sourceforge.net/ and tell me what you think! Have fun, Noam -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Pinoy-Python-Users" group. To post to this group, send email to pinoy-python-users(a)googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to pinoy-python-users+unsubscribe(a)googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/pinoy-python-users?hl=en.

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Fwd: python for math
by kirby urner 01 Mar '10

01 Mar '10

I hope Mark (not his real name) joins us on edu-sig. As you will see below, I'm encouraging him to do so, at which point he might reveal his true identity. He teaches AP Calculus and has been experimenting with using Python to abet student understanding, with mixed results. Kirby ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: kirby urner <kirby.urner(a)gmail.com> Date: Mon, Mar 1, 2010 at 8:47 AM Subject: Re: python for math To: mark Hi [ Mark ] -- I'm not proposing to replace traditional math notation with Python's, only to have a computer language expressing these same concepts without too much clutter. For example, you might implement a simple Polynomial type in just a few lines of code (pre-written) and have methods for objects of this type to (a) produce roots (b) multiply together (c) add together. You then have the ability to discuss polynomials as "objects" that add and multiply, like number types. Here's a clear essay about the approach: http://mathforum.org/kb/message.jspa?messageID=6992862&tstart=0 To put it simply: I favor introducing "dot notation" (common to many computer languages) as just another math notation. More: http://www.4dsolutions.net/presentations/p4t_notes.pdf I'm into spatial geometry a lot, as I think the bigger / sharper screens (beyond calculator screens) should have lots of Z-axis, i.e. the depth dimension needs to be there. Just transferring a lot of flat stuff, not going spatial, is too much of a psychological let down, given what students already know computers can do. I have a simple non-Euclidean geometry I like to get into (simple in the sense of easy definitions), but that doesn't preclude doing all the usual stuff, including with XYZ vectors (another type of math object, easily expressed in Python, and easily rendered to screen using VPython). FYI here's an interesting text book some of us are using: http://www.skylit.com/mathandpython.html This is not a full blown "math objects" approach. In fact, there's no real object oriented programming except on page 88-89 (2nd edition). For the most part, it's just using Python in place of a scientific calculator, in hopes of keeping up with the rest of the world, which is moving in the same direction. That's what I'd tell parents: in the real world, computers and computer programming (including in Mathematica) have far more currency than scientific calculators. Used wisely, computer technology, including with some programming, is likely to open more doors, give a better sense of more career options, provide a stronger orientation. Understanding more about computers and their connection to math is vital to a "how things work" approach, which emphasizes explanations of such basic topics as tabulation of data, these days accomplished with SQL. Some mention of SQL, even some use of it (sqlite?), is completely apropos in Computational Math, but maybe not in an AP calculus course. Thanks for conversing on this topic. I encourage you to join edu-sig, where lots of educators are pondering these very issues. We've had recent threads on Sage etc., and are currently discussing the interface between math and computer science, at the secondary school level especially. See the edu-sig page at Python.org for more info. http://www.python.org/community/sigs/current/edu-sig/ Kirby On Mon, Mar 1, 2010 at 7:52 AM, <mark> wrote: > On Sun, Feb 28, 2010 at 09:44:25PM -0800, kirby urner wrote: >> Keep in mind that a reading knowledge of a language is far easier >> to acquire than a "write from scratch on a blank canvas" mode. If >> the lesson plan involves eyeballing already written code, making >> minor tweaks, this is probably going to yield greater results and/or >> student satisfaction than sitting them down in front of a white screen >> and saying 'write something that integrates a polynomial'. > > You may be onto something here. Are you saying you'd prefer ALL math concepts > be introduced in Python code? That may have benefits. One potential way you > could defend that is that you can't be unambiguous in Python. You *can* with > classical math notation. For example, does sin^(-1)(x) mean the "reciprocal > of the sine function" or the "Arcsin (inverse) function"? > > There is a physics book that attempts to do > something similar with Scheme. It is called "Structure And Interpretation of > Classical Mechanics". > > > An innovative curriculum that introduces everything in Python code with objects > may speed learning. If parents ask "why better?", I can say it is unambiguous > compared to classical math notation. > > Thanks a 10^6. > > [ Mark ] >

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Pilot testing the new AP CS definition
by Jeff Elkner 01 Mar '10

01 Mar '10

Potentially important news for Python in education: http://computinged.wordpress.com/2010/02/27/pilot-testing-the-new-ap-cs-def… I wonder if Larry (http://www.cs.washington.edu/homes/snyder/) would like help in either developing or testing his new course? jeff elkner

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