[Edu-sig] Programming for Fun Quote

Arthur Siegel ajs@ix.netcom.com
Sat, 29 Sep 2001 14:35:20 -0400


Jason writes -

>The orginal writer's view was that for teaching purposes in shools,
>programming is perhaps better approached from linguistic perspective first,
>than to be treated as Mathematics.

At least part of my perspective is related not so directly on how
to teach programming, per se, but how most effectively to fit
programming fundamentals into a curriculum.

A select few take programming courses, while we are all
(correctly, IMO) exposed to math courses.

An understanding of programming fundamentals allows for an enhanced
math curriculum - ala Kirby, for example.

And I believe that enhancing and enlivening a mathematics
curriculum justifies the commitment of resources to
teaching/learning programming as core curriculum, to an
extent beyond what is true for programming - standalone.

Art