[Edu-sig] Learning software for 10-13 year olds

[Kirby Urner]

At 09:24 PM 6/1/2003 -0400, Guido van Rossum wrote:

>The restriction on huge blocks of text pretty much rules out any
>Python tutorials I am aware of -- but maybe there are some that I'm
>not aware of?
>
>I vaguely recall thinking that Toon Talk was pretty good -- opinions?
>
>--Guido van Rossum (home page: http://www.python.org/~guido/)

Although ToonTalk looks like it's for little kids, you can get
pretty creative and "adult" in your modes of usage.  I think it's
worth buying.  A new version is due out soon, but is free to
those getting the current one.

Another candidate is Squeak.  Our old friend Alice now shows up in
that environment as Squeak-Alice.  See:
http://www.squeak.org/features/graphics.html plus the home page.

When it comes to Python, LiveWires has recently moved to a PyGame-
based approach.  There are still blocks of text in the tutorials
though.  A solution is for the parent to do the tutorials then
show the kids.  http://www.livewires.org.uk/python/

Kirby