[OT] Teaching methodology

[Jeff Reynolds]

Richmond,

ive used a combo when teaching high school kids in the US software or programming. I do some mini lessons so they do practical project (always found this better than theoretical exercises with most students) on a subset of commands or features. proceed each with a small amount of discussion of the commands and features, then the assignments. after a few of these then move to more open ended assignments to let them tie it all together but have a wider understanding of the software or system.

Of course there are usually some exceptions to the rule with some way out there students who just dive in and figure it out. these more precocious students usually dont have the tunnel vision issue, that tends to be the grade grubbers who just care about getting the A on the assignment in the most direct course...

cheers

jeff



> On Aug 12, 2015, at 12:37 PM, use-livecode-request at lists.runrev.com wrote:
> 
> "Based on my experience with teaching programming to kids who already 
> have some programming experience but are self-taught,
> I find that many of these self-taught programmers tend to focus on a 
> very limited subset of one particular programming language
> and ignore the other, richer features because they have not had a 
> systematic introduction to the language or to general principles
> of programming."
> 
> That is a semi-quote from an acquaintance of mine trying to teach 
> progging to High School kids in China.
> 
> I would be grateful for lots of insight on my questions that stem from 
> his statement.
> 
> 1. Do children really need "a systematic introduction to the language or 
> to general principles of programming" when it
> come to working with LiveCode?
> 
> 2. Is this bit true in your experience of self-taught programmers:
> 
> they "tend to focus on a very limited subset of one particular 
> programming language
> and ignore the other, richer features"  ??
> 
> 3. Id #2 is true have you any ideas on how to get self-taught 
> programmers out of their "comfort zone"
> and leveraging other aspects of a programming language?
> 
> Richmond.