[Edu-sig] A suggestion for a high school programming project

[Arthur]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: edu-sig-bounces at python.org [mailto:edu-sig-bounces at python.org] On
> Behalf Of francois schnell
> Sent: Tuesday, September 07, 2004 5:53 PM
> To: barrett at stsci.edu; edu-sig at python.org
> Subject: Re: [Edu-sig] A suggestion for a high school programming project
> 
> Hello,
> 
> Me too I'd like to see more things between Python and electronics...
> Thank's to the rapid grow of cheap and powerfull microcontrolers,
> electronics is more and  more  a programming activity acessible to
> nearly everyone.
> As a hobby I programed few PIC microcontrolers, it's very fun,  but
> unfortunately I had to that with Basic  :-(
> Where's my lovely Python there ?
> 
> Maybe there is some hope with  Pyastra and I pray that it will  develop
> well:
> 
> http://freshmeat.net/projects/pyastra/
> http://www.python.org/pypi?:action=display&name=Pyastra&version=0.0.3
> 
> well, at the time of speaking Pyastra website seems down... but we can
> still dream :
> on top of Pyastra it would be very nice if it was possible to program
> them visualy  :-)
> 
> I know "Scracth" a visual programing kind of Lego from John Maloney -
> MIT (based on Squeak) will enable  kids to program visualy  some
> microcontrolers.
> http://llk.media.mit.edu/projects/scratch/
> http://learning.media.mit.edu/projects/gogo/gogo22/index.html

IMO, there is a very important distinction to be made between exposing
students/kids/whatever to tools built for scientists by scientists and
"learning environments" of various kinds. It is hard to articulate why I
feel this distinction is so important, beyond the fact that the learner
themselves certainly understands the difference, and is right in taking one
much more seriously than the other.  The concept here is to expose folks to
real science.  

What I find particularly exciting about Paul's approach, is that he was
suggesting doing exactly that.

If the counter argument is related to issues of age appropriateness - simply
wait, and introduce real tools, when appropriate.

Python is potentially important as an educational tool, IMO, precisely
because is a real world tool of choice for sophisticated and savvy people
doing sophisticated and  savvy things.

Don't mean to be lecturing you simply for having mentioned the Scratch
thing.  

Though I don't necessarily have anyone else's support in pressing the kind
of distinction I am trying to draw - my sense of the importance of drawing
this distinction is fundamental to what brings me here to Python edu-sig.

Art