[Edu-sig] An somewhat stale article about using Java for introductory programming; what can we as Python educators learn from them?

[Arthur]

Danny Yoo wrote:

>Last of all, I took a look at Georgia Tech's CS 1321 web page, just out of
>curiosity, and came with:
>
>    http://www.cc.gatech.edu/classes/AY2005/cs1321_spring/
>  
>
On the syllabus page linked from your cite:

"Learning to program is like learning a sport."

This is an observation I have made here before - meaning it in a literal 
way.  And as an observation, not something I analyze - observing that 
for myself the process, and what it stimulates, and what motivates me, 
when learning to program seemed somehow familiar.  And it took to me a 
while to realize why it seemed familiar. I came to programming late, but 
I have always been somethng of a jock .  And maybe I came to programming 
late, only because and in substution for some of the satisfaction I have 
always gotten from athletics - having reached an age where in most 
athletics pursuits my abilities were declining from where they had once 
been.

But I clearly missed the process.

And learning to program is like learning a sport. 

So I'm back on the field, testing and stretching my abilities - just in 
a different way.

Nice that the observation here is being made by  a woman instructor. 

But strange that "geek" seems to have the almost opposite connotation - 
as someone actively disinterested in athletic activity.  I guess I had 
speculated that those who get into programming deeply when young are 
those for whatever reason cut-off from physical gymnastics, so tend 
toward mental gymnastics.

Or something.

Art