[IAEP] Nice tool for learning Python

[Caryl Bigenho]

Hi All…


I took a look at this last night and agree with Tabitha that it is definitely not a stand-alone way to learn Python.  I have also looked at, Pippy, and the ebook "Byte of Python" (among others), and the the Khan Academy videos for learning Python.


It would be great if some master teacher of CS could put together a course syllabus using these free online resources that we could use to learn this handy, popular language.  


My programming days ended in the 80s with Pascal. I would love to learn Python and be able to create Activities for Sugar.  But with my busy schedule (and adult ADHD) I really need someone to give structure to my efforts.


I'll bet there are lots of other folks out there in the same boat… well… maybe without the ADHD!


Caryl
From: itprofjacobs at gmail.com
Date: Sun, 29 Jan 2012 10:08:31 -0500
To: alan.nemo at yahoo.com
CC: tabitha at tabitha.net.nz; iaep at lists.sugarlabs.org; sthomas1 at gosargon.com
Subject: Re: [IAEP] Nice tool for learning Python



If you haven't seen Teagueduino yet, it's worth a look as a system that does a good job of making the invisible visible, especially parts of the programming interface that show you the signals/voltages in the chip being set high or low when things run.  The two pictures of the editor in the article below show some of this.

http://www.open-electronics.org/teagueduino-making-things-really-simple/
On Jan 29, 2012, at 8:55 AM, Alan Kay wrote:Hi Tabitha
I don't think the premise of this system is for Python programming to be "discovered" while doing it, and I didn't see any claims for this. 

It simple "makes the invisible more visible" when manipulating computer entities and invoking processes that are usually shrouded at best.
Systems like Etoys and Scratch need this particular visualization less because they have mostly visible objects that are being given behaviors (and which also in Etoys' case have visible data structures -- e.g. "Holders" etc -- as well). The programmers can see the changes in the already visible objects. (That is partly the point in how they are designed for
 beginners.)

But these systems use a lot of parallel invocations, so one could imagine a facility like Bob Balzer's EXDAMS (in the 60s!) that captured all of the behavior for a stretch and allow it to be played forward and backward deterministically to help the programmer understand what was going on and the communications between objects.
I think the main point here is that it really helps any programmer, and especially beginners, when the computer can be used to aid both their short term memories and abilities in visualizing the consequences of their code.
A system like the Python visualizer is especially useful for low-level imperative-type data structure munging programming (and Python is often learned in this way).
Cheers,
Alan
        From: Tabitha Roder <tabitha at tabitha.net.nz>
 To: Steve Thomas <sthomas1 at gosargon.com> 
Cc: iaep <iaep at lists.sugarlabs.org> 
 Sent: Sunday, January 29, 2012 1:29 AM
 Subject: Re: [IAEP] Nice tool for learning Python
   

On 28 January 2012 17:28, Steve Thomas <sthomas1 at gosargon.com> wrote:

Just found this: http://people.csail.mit.edu/pgbovine/python/
This tool looks like an amazing tool for someone who already understands programming concepts to teach with but it seems a stretch for someone to learn on their own with this tool by itself. 

The first example code is "aliasing" but doesn't explain what a variable is, or a function, or a list. It might be possible to discover these concepts using the simulator but it is probably better explained in words. 

Does anyone know of a suitable ebook or tutorial which the simulator could be used with? Thinking of the cases where there is no one to guide the student. 
Thanks
Tabitha


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IAEP -- It's An Education Project (not a laptop project!)
IAEP at lists.sugarlabs.org
http://lists.sugarlabs.org/listinfo/iaep

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