[IPython-dev] Jupyter + Processing for education

[Brian Granger]

Love it!

On Fri, Jan 23, 2015 at 8:42 AM, Juergen Hasch <python at elbonia.de> wrote:

> Hey Doug,
> this is nice!
>
> I always wanted to something like that, but never got around. You can be
> sure I will play with it.
>
>   Juergen
>
> Am 23.01.2015 um 15:01 schrieb Doug Blank:
> > IPython community,
> >
> > Thought you might be interested in seeing how students can use the new
> Jupyterhub with a new, external kernel. This
> > semester I am using the language "Processing"... originally designed for
> artists by artists. My colleagues have written
> > a textbook on how to use it for teaching computer science [1].
> >
> > Here is a 5 minute video on how it looks to the student:
> >
> > https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V4TzARh-ClY
> >
> > and here is a live notebook:
> >
> > http://jupyter.cs.brynmawr.edu/hub/kohara/public/Untitled.ipynb
> >
> > (mouse over some of the sketches)
> >
> > If you know Processing, this is different from the regular Processing
> IDE:
> >
> > * students log into the Jupyterhub system over the web
> > * uses the Processing-Javascript system
> > * each Jupyter notebook "cell" is a Processing "sketch"
> > * Shift+Tab shows Processing on-line help
> > * Tab will do completion (completes with Processing variables and
> functions)
> > * Rendered notebooks (eg, without a live computational engine/kernel
> behind them) will still run
> > * Slight bit of interpreter feel: can execute draw/setup functions
> interactively
> > * uses MetaKernel magics [2]
> >
> > I like the setup for education because:
> >
> > * I can control/configure the environment exactly (what buttons are
> available, etc). I have a few nbextensions in the
> > newly supported system folder, and load them in the notebook.html
> template.
> > * I can update the system at any time
> > * I can track students' time-on-task
> > * Students will be able to submit their homework (as notebooks) via a
> button
> > * I can add more stuff as I think of it (like the "Publish" and "Submit
> Homework" buttons)
> > * All of the benefits of using a notebook: by students, for students
> ("runs like code; reads like a journal paper",
> > "literate computing", "reproducible research", etc)
> >
> > Things I don't like:
> >
> > * Processing -> Javascript error messages are terrible
> >
> > We'll have all of the code easily installable (via pip) as soon as
> Jupyter is out. Of course, you can also get the code
> > directly [3].
> >
> > It could be that a Processing IPython magic could turn Processing code
> into a really fancy, low-level, dynamic widget
> > system for Python. Because rendered Processing sketches run in rendered
> notebooks, it also solves some of those issues.
> > There needs to be a way to get data to Processing. Also, for live
> kernels, it would be handy to have Processing be able
> > to set Python variables.
> >
> > -Doug
> >
> > [1] - http://www.apress.com/9781430244646
> > [2] - https://github.com/Calysto/metakernel
> > [3] -
> https://github.com/Calysto/calysto/tree/master/calysto/language/processing
> >
> >
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> >
>
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-- 
Brian E. Granger
Cal Poly State University, San Luis Obispo
@ellisonbg on Twitter and GitHub
bgranger at calpoly.edu and ellisonbg at gmail.com
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