Checkboxes

[Dar Scott]

I don’t agree.

There is nothing wrong with using this:

   put x into field y

We can’t say that real programmers use this:

   set the text of y to x

I see nothing wrong with teaching the first, before showing it is the same as the latter.  

Indeed, the hello world is this:

   put “Hello World!” into field “Greeting”

Though I have never had a kid use “Hello World!” even the first time.  OK, maybe a big sister.

Dar


On May 3, 2014, at 1:28 PM, Richmond <richmondmathewson at gmail.com> wrote:

> On 03/05/14 22:23, Dar Scott wrote:
>> I was thinking the use of the text property would have a teaching advantage.  Checkboxes could be used before properties are introduced.
> 
> From a pedagogical point of view I can see your point; but I disagree with it; mainly as when I had learnt MINIFORTRAN I then had to unlearn some things for FORTRAN. I recall a similar thing with the concept of
> valency, and then having to unlearn 'valency' and learn 'oxidation states'.
> 
> The initial teaching alphabet was also designed by well-intentioned pedagogues; there is evidence it slows down the learning of the standard alphabet.
> 
> Richmond.
> 
>> 
>> The text property is special in that it can be used as the value of the object.  Most notably we can do this:
>> 
>>    put “All is good.” into field “Status”
>> 
>> We don’t have to write this:
>> 
>>    set the text of field “Status” to “All is good.”
>> 
>> So, I was thinking something like this:
>> 
>>    if button “Quiet” is not “checked” the…
>>    if button “option 4” is not “selected” then…
>> 
>> (And for the optional second phase allow ‘checkbox’ or ‘check box’ for the first one and ‘radio button’ for the second.)
>> 
>> I don’t mind using properties, but I just wanted to point out the advantage of text.
>> 
>> Now, all this use of text with buttons breaks down with the option menu.  It already uses text for the menu.  I would have preferred text be an alternate reference to the label.  So to set the menu we can do this:
>> 
>>    put optionList into me
>> 
>> Today we can say this:
>> 
>>   if the mouse is “down” then …
>> 
>> So, there is already a little bit of the same concept.
>> 
>> Of course, one can give students the function checkbox() to use until introducing properties.
>> 
>> An alternative would be to teach properties from the start and then show the text shortcuts.
>> 
>> I don’t have any strong feelings about properties as an alternative, but it would be good to get away from highlight in teaching and in creating readable code.  Or maybe highlight can be introduced in some other way first.
>> 
>> Dar
>> 
>> 
> 
> 
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