| Matt Singleton on 20 Mar 2007 23:24:34 -0000 |
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One big problem I see with starting with a rigorously OO language like Java or (to a lesser extent) C++, is that the OO paradigm can be rather confusing to a beginner. In my opinion, the OO way of thinking is best eased into after the student is already familiar with the more basic ideas like looping and various other methods of program control. That's not to say that good OO habits can't be cultivated from the beginning, but forcing a student to type out arcane commands like: public class Hello {
public static void main(String[] args) {
System.out.println("Hello, World!");
}
}when they haven't yet even mastered for loops can be a bit confusing. The beauty of Python is that the OO paradigm can be built up slowly and consistently. That's not to say that beginners can't learn Java or C++. The thing I like so much about Python as a first language is that it allows a gradual and logical progression without any artificial aids. No need for the frustrating "shells" that some teachers provide, which I find extremely frustrating. public class ReallySimpleProgram {
public static void main(String[] args) {
// Put program code here, n00b
}
}Matt Alex Launi wrote: I have the feeling no one else on this list is going to agree with me but I'm just out of high school and the languages we were taught in our cs classes were java and C++. Currently the AP Board has java for AP computer science so for your students (I am assuming these are high or middle school students) so starting them on java could be beneficial for them later if they decide to take the ap cs exam. --Alex Launi ___________________________________________________________________________ Philadelphia Linux Users Group -- http://www.phillylinux.org Announcements - http://lists.phillylinux.org/mailman/listinfo/plug-announce General Discussion -- http://lists.phillylinux.org/mailman/listinfo/plug
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