Mailman 3 October 2011 - Edu-sig

xturtle online via processing.js !?
by Jurgis Pralgauskis 27 Sep '12

27 Sep '12

Hi, I am struggling around with interactive online py tutorials with https://launchpad.net/projects/intro-to-code (ith might become securely sandboxed soon, as pypy made it possible http://blog.sandbox.lt/en/WSGI%20and%20PyPy%20sandbox :) but one more thing is I'd like to let access xturtle functionality online - one possible way could be triggering tkinter to save its canvas to ps, and then convert them with imagemagic and show via web (animated gif or static) - but if pyjamas can render GUI for js (http://www.google.lt/search?&q=pyjamas+python ), mayby there is a way to **translate turtle commands to processing.js analogues** http://ejohn.org/blog/processingjs/ would it be difficult -- how do you think? -- Jurgis Pralgauskis tel: 8-616 77613; jabber: jurgis(a)akl.lt; skype: dz0rdzas; Don't worry, be happy and make things better ;) http://sagemath.visiems.lt

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OO and story problems
by kirby urner 29 Mar '12

29 Mar '12

I've been haunting the math-teach list, as usual, suggesting we take a page from AP computer science and build our math around an interlinked, themed, consistent set of story problems -- rather than making these "meaningless" (deliberately). The opponents in this debate bring up the specter of political manipulation, propaganda, tainted "pure math" with someone's good ideas about applications. My approach to math teaching, as readers here know (some of 'em), is to bake OO into the matrix pretty early, meaning the idea of "math objects" (vectors, polyhedrons, rational numbers) connects to our Pythonic notion of types. Here's some background reading for any wanting to sample the more detailed nuances of this thread (on-going, and for over a decade for sure). http://mathforum.org/kb/thread.jspa?threadID=2289577&tstart=0 (most posters long time veterans of this list, with carved out positions) I also take it a step further in that the story problems under consideration often have a strong "off your duff" component, in that your mathematical reasoning translates into physical expenditure of energy. Yes, sounds a lot like summer camp (the "self quantification movement" also syncs up). http://fastwonderblog.com/2011/07/30/crunching-the-numbers-open-source-comm… http://hashtags.foxepractice.com/healthcare-hashtag-analytics.php?hashtag=Q… http://www.4dsolutions.net/presentations/urnermindstorm.pdf Kirby

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[ANNC] vBot-0.2 programming game
by Lee Harr 31 Oct '11

31 Oct '11

vBot is a visual programming game. Use a small set of command tiles to build a program. The program must control the vBot and make it activate every target using the limited command set. https://bitbucket.org/leeharr/vbot/ For more information, see the README file: https://bitbucket.org/leeharr/vbot/raw/a66e83b0647a/README vBot is modeled after a flash game called Light Bot. The advantages of vBot are that you can add your own levels, and players can easily skip past levels they have already completed. You must have Python and PyQt installed to run the program. I have been using vBot to introduce programming to beginners. The word-free interface allows students to start building their own simple programs right away. In the future, I may try to add loops or conditionals at later levels.

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negative connotation of "object orientation"
by kirby urner 30 Oct '11

30 Oct '11

Appended: from a Physics teaching list I frequent. Note the negative connotations associated with "object orientation" (= asocial = lack of social affect). I take up this ethnographic thread in my blogs and this discussion list from time to time, as I think it's apropos to many subtopics (Diversity in particular). Here's my take on it from awhile back: http://worldgame.blogspot.com/2009/02/regarding-objectifying.html Kirby PS: on a related topic, there's also a negative connotation associated with "imperative programming". The word "imperative" gets translated to mean "bullying". The functional programmers exploit that connotation, and imply that functional programming is kinder to children. === Well, it is at least reminiscent of Sheila Tobias. On a possibly related note, Simon Baron-Cohen studied personalities of scientists and engineers across many subfields. Among his results was (sorry to bring bad news) that the closer one comes to physics, mathematics, or similar engineering disciplines, the more closely the median practitioner resembles high functioning autism (which, of course, affects males over females by a ratio of 4.2 to 1). That in turns brings with it all manner of asocial phenomena -- object orientation, lack of social affect and the like. - Show quoted text - -- Dr. Paul J. Camp Physics Department Spelman College Atlanta, GA 30314 404-270-5864 "The beauty of the cosmos derives not only from unity in variety but also from variety in unity" -- Umberto Eco The Name of the Rose in response to: Inside Higher Ed Why Female Engineering Students Are Discouraged October 26, 2011 - 3:00am Women perform as well as men in engineering courses, but are less likely to stay in the field because of a confidence gap, according to research published in the new issue of <http://www.asanet.org/press/engineering_and_women.cfm>American Sociological Review. Women are less likely to feel "professional role confidence," the study found, which has to do both with their view of their own talent and also of their sense that they are in the correct field. "Often, competence in engineering is associated in people's minds with men and masculinity more than it is with women and femininity. So, there are these micro-biases that happen, and when they add up, they result in women being less confident in their expertise and their career fit," said the lead author of the study, Erin Cech, a postdoctoral fellow at Stanford University's Clayman Institute for Gender Research. <http://www.insidehighered.com/quicktakes/2011/10/26/why-female-engineering-…>http://www.insidehighered.com/quicktakes/2011/10/26/why-female-engineering-…

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"Invent with Python" discount code
by Al Sweigart 27 Oct '11

27 Oct '11

Hi. I'm the author of "Invent Your Own Computer Games with Python", a programming book aimed at young adults and complete beginners. The book is freely available under a Creative Commons license and you can download it in full from http://inventwithpython.com. I've priced the book at $25, but would like to share a discount code that brings it down to $8.32 that I'd like you to share with any educators or people who want to buy multiple copies. The book doesn't have problem sets and might not be completely appropriate for the classroom, but some people have told me they've used it as a textbook. There's no minimum quantity needed for this code, but I'd like you to just distribute it to teachers/instructors (it basically cuts out my royalty and sells it at cost.) The code only works on this estore site, not on Amazon: https://www.createspace.com/3430836 KBZTK2XU Of course, you can always download the book from inventwithpython.com for free and print it out. -Al

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Online Python Tutor --- open-source web-based execution visualization and problem sets UI
by Philip Guo 17 Oct '11

17 Oct '11

www.onlinepythontutor.com This is an open-source project that I've been developing on-and-off over the past few years in grad school. It puts an innovative visual twist on traditional web-based programming tutorials and problem sets. Any feedback, questions, and collaboration opportunities are greatly appreciated! Philip

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re Python's "batteries included" meme
by kirby urner 10 Oct '11

10 Oct '11

As I watch students struggle with the: if __name__ == "__main__": concept (where to put it, what it does), it occurs to me we could be doing more to leverage the already well-worn "batteries included." What's different about Python? The rich libraries it comes with, including a cross-platform GUI IDE. That's one meaning of "batteries included". But in another sense we could speak of the generic module as a "battery" with the "if run top-level" logic having to do with battery *testing*. ==== python module ==== [ BATTERIES ] (functions, classes, global-to-module names...) if __name__ == "__main__": [ BATTERY TESTERS ] ==================== That changes the meaning a little more, to where each Python module is like "a battery pack" with its own set of "testers". One thing we do with battery packs is we "import" (promote) their internals within a top-level namespace that starts off in some other (alien) module. Another thing we do with battery packs is run them top-level namespaces on their own, perhaps depending on imports (outsourced resources). I'm not suggesting harping on this too much, just another slide that goes by, but a fun mnemonic, and reinforcing of an already approved / useful design pattern (see my previous post in this edu-sig archive for an example of this self-testing style, relying on doctest for services). Kirby

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Interested in a BBC Micro in schools project?
by Alan O'Donohoe 06 Oct '11

06 Oct '11

Ok - I know I upset a lot of Pythonistas with my "BBC CodeLab" stunt at PyconUK. I do sincerely regret any upset I caused anyone, the talk was meant to stimulate talk and discussion about whether it was a good idea and how feasible it could be. I accept I was wholly misguided in using such a rouse when there was already so much good work taking place. I did have honourable intentions, but used nefarious means to achieve my goal of raising the profile of computing in schools. If you dare watch the talk, you will find it here http://teachcomputing.wordpress.com/2011/09/26/bbc-b-to-python-gcse/ Suffice to say, I will be eating 'Humble Pi' or HumblePy for some time to come. ;-) So - imagine how surprised I was to discover in the last few days that the real BBC (not the one in my head) are actually seriously considering a BBC Micro in schools project! I thought my Christmas had come early! I don't wish to claim any credit for this, I am sure it was something that was already on the table before I came and opened my big gob. If you don't believe me - that's ok with me. The fable of 'The Boy Who Cried Wolf' springs to mind. So you don't need to take my word for it, Professor Keri Facer of Manchester Metropolitan Uni has been asked by the BBC to gather a network of teachers, programmers/developers and university lecturers/professors to gauge te level of interest in a 'BBC Micro Project' She requests that anyone with an interest email her directly at k.facer(a)mmu.ac.uk Can I please urge anyone who values the principle of allowing children in the UK to experience a little (or a lot) of what programming is to contact her and express your interest. If we want the BBC to sit up and take an interest - we need to show our level of interest and commitment to this cause. Alan O'Donohoe @teknoteacher 07791 126056

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Improved PythonTurtleDemo environment (beta)
by Jurgis Pralgauskis 05 Oct '11

05 Oct '11

Hi, I kept on the idea for probably at least 3 years, just didn't have time. and finally it's working (beta) :) http://popmokslas.projektas.lt/failai/python/TurtleDemo-NG/ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j-XyEoQRZeI&t=1m30s I noticed similar initiative (few days ago) http://code.google.com/p/pynguin/ Probably it could also implement tracing in fashion of http://code.google.com/p/rur-ple/source/browse/trunk/rur_py/cpu.py (mine might be too confusing right now..) -- Jurgis Pralgauskis tel: 8-616 77613; Don't worry, be happy and make things better ;) http://kompiuterija.pasimokom.lt

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