Re: [school-discuss] first programming language

[roberto <roberto03@xxxxxxxxx>]

On 4/9/08, Richard Andrews <bbmaj7@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>
>  A good point. To take it to the next level maybe consider some form of robotics
>  which requires programming.

you raise a important matter

i am also using extensively Lego Mindstorms in lab for highschools
students and one of the biggest drawbacks is just they compel you to
use their built-in, LabView based, non-free software, produced with NI
company

some C-like (NXC, NQC, Robot-C) platforms are available but NXT-G has
the great advantage of the GUI where students may learn fundamentals
of programming while making an abstraction from the particular syntax
they must use

moreover they can see a practical, hands-on result of their effort,
that's why robotics is a good learning place, IMHO



>
>
>  --- knowtree@xxxxxxxxx wrote:
>  > As someone else wrote, kids love graphics. True, but what kids *really*
>  > love are things that move and respond to inputs. The basic building blocks
>  > of video games. It takes a lot of code to get anywhere near that with
>  > Python (and Java, and C, ...), so much that the beginner cannot manage it.
>

-- 
roberto
OS: GNU/Linux, Debian