[Edu-sig] Python promises a revolution

Javier Escobar jiescobar@net-uno.net
Wed, 19 Feb 2003 21:51:09 -0400


Hi freinds,
Yesterday my undergraduate proyect on "teaching physics with Python" was
presented to the profesors who will work with me.  They were very excited
about Python as an alternative language to introduce physics students to
programming.  This will be done at the Central University of Venezuela.  The
profesors working with me didn't know anything about Python, but they were
very interested in this language as an alternative to C, language that is
being used at the introductory course to programming for undergraduate
physics students.  My undergraduate work has to be done having a pedagogical
aproach to physics.  The structure of the work I presented is the following:

ALTERNATIVE CONCEPTIONS
- Problem definition (What are alternative conceptions in science, how do
they affect physiscs teaching)
- Alternative conceptions and Constructivism (Alternative conceptions viewed
from a pedagogical theory point of view)
- Proposed solutions (solutions proposed to deal with the alternative
conceptions problem)

OUR PROPOSITION
- Computer programming  and physics teaching (How can computer programing
help dealing with alternative conception in physics teaching)
- Python as a programming language (What is Phython)
- ¿Why Phython? (Features that make phython an ideal language for physics
teaching)
- Design of a programming course for undergraduate physics students.

I will appreciate your comments.  I'm beginning to work on every subject of
this table of contents.