[Python-ideas] Does jargon make learning more difficult?

[Jonathan Fine]

Hi Steve

You and I have different experience, background and interests.

You wrote

> As educators, if we fail to teach the technical language of a field to
> our students, we are failing to prepare those students to enter that
> field. Technical jargon is the language of the field.

Python is a language with an enormous range. That is one of it's many
strengths. Its users range from school-children, doing programming as
part of their general education, all the way to research scientists,
professional system administrators and the like. There are some really
clever professional Python programmers.

Some students learning Python, shock horror, won't enter the field.
What proportion, I don't know. Some good statistics here would be
helpful.

For a different view of Python, take a look at

* https://www.codeclub.org.uk/
* https://tutorial.djangogirls.org/en/python_introduction/
* https://codewith.mu/
* https://microbit.org/
* https://microbit.org/code/

The last two are important.
> http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/4hVG2Br1W1LKCmw8nSm9WnQ/the-bbc-micro-bit
The BBC micro:bit is a pocket-sized codeable computer with motion
detection, a built-in compass and Bluetooth technology, which was
given free to every child in year 7 or equivalent across the UK in
2016.

All these children could be Python users. Very different from the
students that you, as an educator, are preparing to enter the
technical field of computer software.

You further write

> We should not focus too heavily on the earliest and most ignorant stage
> of people's programming life. That stage makes up probably less than 10%
> of their life as a programmer.

I'm very happy that Python works for the novice, and occasional
programmers. Who have not aspirations to have a life as a programmer.
Maybe they're musicians, or artists, or someone building a personal
website. There are some really clever people in these fields, who
write non-professional Python software.

I'm very happy that Python works for high powered experts who are
doing machine learning, numerical analysis, partial differential
equations, big data and cloud system administration.

To turn you statement around: We shouldn't focus too heavily on the
latest and most learned stages of programming. Such activity, by hours
spent, makes up probably less than 10% of humanity's time spent
coding.

Not disagreeing with you. Just viewing things differently.

-- 
Jonathan