Re: [TCLUG:13004] AP Comp. Sci.

[Timothy Wilson <wilson@visi.com>]

On Fri, 28 Jan 2000, Ben Kochie wrote:

> teaching.  tim.. you have mentioned python before, and I think that's
> another good one.. things like C++ can be a little too platform specific
> for students.. and teaching platforms isn't a good idea, even if it is on
> linux.  CS students should be taught a language that has no
> platform.. instead of teaching C++, teach java.

I have no problems with C++ itself. I just think it's a poor choice as a
first programming language (the vast majority of students in the class are
new to programming).

I've been thinking lately about an alternative. Let me know what you think
of this as an alternative for a year-long programming class:

1. During the summer the teacher contacts a number of different
non-profit/community groups and looks for potential programming projects.
The idea is to more closely approximate real programming and provide a
service to an worthy cause at the same time.

2. At the beginning of the school year, the class would select a project
from the list of possibilities.

3. Some time would be spent analyzing the problem, breaking it into
logical tasks, creating groups to work on specific tasks, etc.

4. Students collaborate to develop a product to meet the needs of the
organization they're working with.

Advantages to this approach:

* I would have students use Python as the language. It's cross platform
and pretty GUI apps can be created for Linux or Windows.

* Students would be doing *real* programming instead of the very
artificial tasks they do now.

* All resulting software GPLed so that others can benefit.

Potential difficulties:

* Will students learn enough in one year to be able to realistically
tackle the problem? I suppose it's possible if the problem is kept simple
enough. Additional features could always be added when needed.

* Students wouldn't be able to take the AP test since that assumes C++.
This may be an issue for some students.

-Tim

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