Thanks to all, especially Jeremy. still now I don't have time to read everything, but problem is complex, I agree. as those students seem nearly unable to understand math (so I guess generally aren't used to problem solving). and they are ususally quite unpatient.. ===================== I'll explain in more detail: this might be the problem of my countries education system..., (I teach 1 year college students -- and in 3 years they should become "network admins"...) and I give them half made mini programs in Scratch (http://scratch.mit.edu) and they are unable to finish them :( for example, if we have object moving in an inside of rectangle area, and when it approaches one side of rectangle -- ith should "teleport/jump" to the opposite site rectangle is (-200, -150) to (200, 150) I give one side as example (in Scratch) and they have to finish if x > 200: x = -200 most of 30% "loosers" succseed, (not without help from others). then I ask, that sides could shrink (and need variables) right = 200 left = -200 if x > right: x = left right = right - 40 if x < left: x = right left = left + 40 and they should finish it for top/bottom and this is a "damn hard" task... :/ =============== my idea for the next year is to prepair mini tests for students to: - to practice programming-like problem solving - to test their level and to see, what they lack most - help them make up minds, if they want/dare to have programming On Fri, May 7, 2010 at 3:59 AM, Andy Judkis <ajudkis@verizon.net> wrote:
I think this is a really interesting topic. I've been teaching a general "here's how computers work" class to all the 10th graders in my school for about 6 years now. Like Jurgis, I find that about 30% of the kids just don't get it. I'm just resigned to that, and my goal is to have them not HATE it, and to have at least an understanding of why other people like it.
-- Jurgis Pralgauskis tel: 8-616 77613; Don't worry, be happy and make things better ;) http://kompiuterija.pasimokom.lt