[Edu-sig] Would a simplified Python UI for MiddleSchool students
be worth the effort?
John Zelle
john.zelle@wartburg.edu
Mon, 07 Jul 2003 15:11:48 -0500
BJ,
This is slightly off from where you're going, but I'm taking a writing
break from my Python textbook at the moment, and happened to see your
post. I've developed a very simply graphics package for my book that is
a thin wrapper over Tkinter. I designed the package for use in intro
courses with a few goals:
1. Make it really easy for students to draw nice pictures (they love this).
2. Actually teach them something about computer graphics in the process.
3. Teach them about objects while they're at it.
4. Allow them to build (very) simple GUIs with the same package.
5. Don't force them into event-driven programming until they've mastered
some basic programming.
My package is not turtle-based (although we have implemented turtles in
it as a project and there is some vestigial turtle code in the source),
because goals 1 and 4 are not really served by turtles (and 3 is iffy).
Although it's written for college freshmen, I think the package would be
suitable for middle school students. If you are interested in looking at
this, you can see the version from last fall on my Python page:
http://mcsp.wartburg.edu/zelle/python. If you look at the draft text
there, a section at the end of Chapter 5 that documents the graphics
API. I am currently working on a few updates that go with the new
version of the text. I'll be putting the updated graphics package on the
site soon.
Cheers,
--John
BJ MacNevin wrote:
>Heck,
>
>I AM a teacher. Heh heh. And I'm thinkin' of going the Python route next
>year... perhaps the year after when I'll have a LOT more experience. Think
>it's MSW Logo until then. BUT! I was so pleased to get the Tkinter Turtle
>routines running! Sure, there are some kids that can abstract things and get
>all excited about rearranging letters and numbers, etc. But a lot of people
>in general like the visual pleasure of seeing things work. *sigh*
>
>My own self-imposed project (long way off from where I am right now... I
>think) is to create a programme that starts up like MSWLogo or Microworld
>Logo, but uses Python as its core. In the time I've spend on Python so far,
>I've been REALLY impressed with how natural the expressions are; perhap
>seven moreso than Logo.
>
>And that kids can take this MUCH farther than I show them in a limited
>amount of time is very clear to me. Talk about easy induction and no
>ceiling. Of course, the absolute basics necessary for turtle graphics leave
>me torn.
>
>On the one hand, such an easy programme would be awesome to use and teach
>from; but to what extent would it obscure the objectofied beauty of the
>language? Hmmm. I'm clueless as yet.
>
>BJ MacNevin
>
>http://www.macnevin.net/mrmac
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "Jason Cunliffe" <jason.cunliffe@verizon.net>
>To: <edu-sig@python.org>
>Cc: "John Zelle" <john.zelle@wartburg.edu>
>Sent: Monday, July 07, 2003 11:26 AM
>Subject: Re: [Edu-sig] PEPTALK: path sanity and newbie mental health --
>please help
>
>
>
>
>>>Under Windows, the easiest way to do this is to place a shortcut for
>>>Python, IDLE or whatever in the directory where you are working. Just
>>>make sure that the "Start in:" entry of the shortcut is blank, and the
>>>program will fire up using the directory it's currently in as the
>>>default working directory. Since Python will load modules from the
>>>current directory, this is a quick and easy way to work on your programs
>>>without doing any path futzing at all.
>>>
>>>
>>John
>>
>>Thanks -- this is an great little tip.
>>Navigating directories has been also another rather obscure and tedious
>>aspect of using Python.
>>An unnecessary one too I feel. mkdir chdir etc take some sleuthing.
>>My google research tells me others have been quite perplexed by these
>>
>>
>simple
>
>
>>tasks.
>>...more broken beer bottles and tire shreds on the on-ramp of the Python
>>Super Highway...
>>
>>I suspect I've been dangerously corrupted by using Rebol's "simple tasks
>>should be simple" philosophy.
>>And also by myriad sophisticated multimedia apps - which all recognize
>>
>>
>users
>
>
>>need for strong configuration and customization access.
>>
>>I am not proposing to dumb python down -- rather to smarten it up.
>>>From a marketing perspective it would be something like -- so ask users
>>especially teachers and newbies what are ten major obstacles they
>>
>>
>remember
>
>
>>when getting up to speed on Python. Then see if there is are sensible
>>improvements which address some of those experiences.
>>
>>This is not about modifying the language - it is about acknowledging valid
>>needs, workflow and assumptions, especially for beginners.
>>Python is awesome and worth every effort as lifetime skill I feel.
>>
>>Jason
>>
>>
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>
>
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--
John M. Zelle, Ph.D. | Wartburg College
Associate Prof. of CS | Dept. Math/CS/Physics
zelle@wartburg.edu | Waverly, Iowa