The next generation of Python programmers [LWN.net]

The next generation of Python programmers

Posted Apr 25, 2014 13:54 UTC (Fri) by pj (subscriber, #4506)
Parent article: The next generation of Python programmers

So... why does programming needs its own course? Teach it as *part* of a math or science course - lend/give RasPis as necessary, and then using python they should be able to do 'Hello World' in under a week (or an hour?) and have it able to plug numbers into physics equations for them in under a week.

The point is to try and teach programming as what it is for most people: a tool to accomplish other ends more easily. Start out with programming as using a massively complicated calculator and go from there.

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The next generation of Python programmers

Posted Apr 26, 2014 18:50 UTC (Sat) by eean (subscriber, #50420) [Link]

Yea I agree.

I do think classes like AP computer science have their place in high school as a vocational elective. I took a computer programming class in high school and it was a great starting point for me. I went to college ready to start my CS degree.

However not everyone needs to be a full-time software developer, but imo everyone should graduate high school able to use programming as a tool. Math and science classes are the obvious place to teach this and there's no reason to wait until high school.