[Edu-sig] Edu-sig Digest, Vol 79, Issue 9

[Jeff Elkner]

I have to just say that this whole discussion is a dream come true for
me!  When I began adapting Allen's "How to think like a computer
scientist" from Java to Python 10 years ago, it occurred to me that
text books shared things in common with software that would make text
books benefit from free collaboration in the same way software does.

I hoped then that someday I'd be reading a posting like this on edu-sig!

jeff elkner
open book project
http://openbookproject.net


> From: csev <csev at umich.edu>
> To: edu-sig at python.org
> Subject: Re: [Edu-sig] Python for Informatics (based on Think Python)
>        featured on the Creative Commons Blog
> Message-ID: <35966A4E-618F-4662-92B5-8C73C62E14C1 at umich.edu>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
> Right - and the other fun idea is that if "Python for Informatics" is the first book, then "Think Python" is the second book.   In a second book (which feels very similar to the first book) you learn how all this stuff "works".
>
> I see in my crazy brain - a whole series of "Think Python" based books that feed into one another, all open content, and CC-BY-SA licensed all sharing basic text where needed.
>
> Pure Intro books:
> Learning Math with Python
> Exploring Data with Python
>
> The middle book:
>
> Think like a Computer Scientist in Python
>
> The More advanced books:
>
> Web Programming in Python
> Game Programming in Python
> Building Graphical Tools with Python
>
> The key is that the books could specialize on their topics and not over-teach in any of the books.  I know for example that you like to bring OO in for math - I don't think that is necessary (we can debate this forever :) ).  I would like to see a Python for math that actually taught Math - not teaching Python though math.  They can learn Python in the second course with "Think Python"
>
> /Chuck