[Edu-sig] Python Teaching Texts for non-computer types

[Nora Wirtschafter]

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Christine --

I, too, had great difficulty in finding a book with the kind of teaching material I want.  Therefore, I ended up writing a book that I have now used for three semesters and am pleased with.  I'm still in the process of trying to get it published by a major publishing company because the editors feel that there is not a market, and I would prefer not to self publish at this point.

My text includes presentation of a concept, then examples (often in a FULL program, not just a program section), review exercises and a number of student programming assignments at the end of each chapter. Concepts build from chapter to chapter, so it really is a teaching text rather than a reference book.  It is certainly not an all-inclusive Python tome, but the content is quite teachable in a semester.

If I find a publisher who thinks the product is marketable, I will certainly let you know.

Nora 


<< Original message attached >>

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Original Email
From: Christine Shannon <shannon@centre.edu>
Sent: 12/06/2001 01:23 PM
To: edu-sig@python.org
Subject: [Edu-sig] Who is teaching Python



At Centre College we have been teaching Python as the first programming
language for the past three semesters with very good results.  I will be
leading a Birds-of-a-Feather session on it at the SIGCSE meeting this
year in Northern KY.

Our students run the gamut from computer science majors to math and
science majors who are taking this for their major to fine arts majors
who are exploring.  They learn enough about object oriented programming
so that those who go on to Data Structures are able to make a good
transition to Java.

The text book situation is a problem.  I have use three different ones
so far and have not really been satisfied with any of them.  The level
is either too elementary or they are written as though this is at least
a second programming language for the reader.  Most of the on-line
documentation is very good but students usually want a book.

Christine Shannon

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