[Edu-sig] re: modelling

[Arthur_Siegel@rsmi.com]

Kirby writes  - 

>I well understand the sentiments here.  However, we need to be
>clear on what's meant by GUI, as sometimes a graphical interface
>will be precisely the kind of LED affair you describe, except
>painted on screen.  We've all seen the "front end" to a music
>playing app designed to look just like a stereo system, complete
>with stacked modular units.

It seems to me that discussions in this area here often get confused
between us as teachers and us as developers/imagineers.  What is
an optimum GUI for as learning envrionment, versus what do we
need to be teaching about GUI at an early stage.

As to what is the optimum learning environment GUI,  my sense  - which 
I guess I should stop repeating endlessly -  is something very very simple. 
My conclusion here is again very  experiential - and does have a  'political' 
element.  Who controls the vertical.  Who controls the horizontal.  

Maybe the issue is more singular to my own sensibilities
than I realize.  But a complex environment feeding me  puts me in
passive./ who's pulling the strings/ we are definitely in school now mode. 
Even a complex environment that can be toggled into simple mode 
still ends up being a complex environment, though I do at least see 
possibilities with this kind of approach. 
 
A  highly structured and  fully transparent environment is the ideal. 
I just don't believe it to be doable. I settle on transparency/simplicity. 

Perhaps we are at a stage where the most important thing 
we can explore/come to terms with about information technology is 
its reasonable limitations. 

 I vote to start here.

As to what we should be teaching at the early stages,  something very much 
other than the Microsoft GUI/form/events  centric approach, IMO.  
The thrill of doing your first VB form is definitely there, but is definitely 
short-lived. 
Put another way, if that is the approach one thinks is appropriate, than go VB

- 
it certainly has brought the approach full blown to its natural conclusions and

would be almost impossible to improve upon.

Python it seems to me, fills a void for those of us fundamentally dissastified

with 
the approach.  We are a small minority.  But are of course right on.

ART