[Edu-sig] BASIC?

[Kevin Driscoll]

Read the article a couple times last night.  It poses two difficult
questions: one concerning the role of programming in education (re:
math texts) and the other is the gradual transformation of the PC from
toolset to appliance.

For the first case, I think it unreasonable to try to recreate the
experience of programming BASIC on a C64 (like Brin) or an Apple //
(like me.)  But what can we learn from it?  Can we abstract the
curiosity, and challenge/reward systems of that earlier experience to
help us create contemporary situations of similar value?

The loss of an easily accessible programming environment on every PC
is truly sad.  However, I found Brin's swipe at the Media Lab unfair.
The oft-derided OLPC project proposes a platform designed for
exploration and experimentation; a far cry from the Dell PCs in my
classroom - seemingly designed for little more than
"content-delivery."

The most intriguing of Brin's questions must be that of the ubiquitous
programming language.  Is Python the rightful heir?

Kevin


On 9/15/06, kirby urner <kirby.urner at gmail.com> wrote:
> On 9/14/06, Tom Hoffman <tom.hoffman at gmail.com> wrote:
> > I'm not sure what David Brin or Salon have to gain by trolling
> > language geeks, but this article seems precisely tailored to drive
> > Python, Logo, Squeak, etc. advocates completely up the wall.
> >
> > --Tom
>
>
> On the contrary, CP4E is going strong.
>
> Kirby
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