[Edu-sig] K-16 CS/math hybrid

[Anna Martelli Ravenscroft]

Arthur wrote:

> The issue is inherent in the circumstances.  If programming is so powerful
> - why can't the folks really good at it make it so it isn't so damn hard to
> learn. Can't they whip something up that makes it easy. It they can't -  how
> powerful is the practice - really.  And if it ain't powerful in this way,
> why would I waste my time on it. 
> 

Are you sure that's what they're saying and not just what you're 
hearing? ;-)

> *My* answer is "please don't", but please do go away and please don't come
> back. 
> 
> But I am a hard ass. 
> 
> And others seem to think there are better ways to respond.

Depends on what the real question is, I think.

What I hear a lot is:
"what useful stuff can I do with this and how much do I have to learn in 
order to do that?" - which is a very different question but can sound 
very similar, often because it's phrased as: "Why do I want to learn 
this?" or "what's it good for?" Unfortunately the answer this question 
often gets is: "If you don't know already, go away."

My response is to help them figure out what it's good for, for *them*. 
If they don't want to bother after that, then yep - they should go away. 
But if they're willing to at least *ask*, then they deserve a better 
answer, imho.

Anna