Would you choose C#...
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...as the language for teaching newcomers? That what they did at my daughter's school... She asked me if it is a good one - I told it is, to not to confuse her, but to be honest I'm not sure of it entirely...
“Real stupidity beats artificial intelligence every time.” ― Terry Pratchett, Hogfather
I'll be the controversial curmudgeon here and say, Yes, I would. Using the VS IDE. Why? I think the goal of an intro course needs to be wrapped around the concept of software development and engineering instead of coding. You can build a really quick and complete app while you learn the basic constructs of a programming language. I'd make it interesting with my first assignment being to come up with a list of a few apps you want to build, reach a consensus with the class and dive in. You can explore GUI concepts as well as a ton of other aspects that are handled by the IDE but also exposed through it for further teaching moments. Working from a project-based level, you can touch on so many key programming aspects. Critical thinking pieces that go beyond just coding syntax. I think too many teaching strands create "cubicle-coders", without looking at overall design concepts. Over the years, I've worked with some great programmers. Some of them could build an amazing app given a fairly extensively documented pseudo-script. But tell them "I need a screen to get this information, do this to it, create this result, and do something with it" would be torturous. That said, it's an intro class. The goal isn't to create a C# wizard that could create a monster app but to teach the basic concepts. It's a pretty easy jump to learn syntax of a given language when you get the underlying concepts. Whether a dog is a dog, chien, perro, or hund isn't hard to relate if you know it is a dog.
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Kornfeld Eliyahu Peter wrote:
C64 with BASIC...
Edsger Dijkstra:
It is practically impossible to teach good programming to students that have had a prior exposure to BASIC: as potential programmers they are mentally mutilated beyond hope of regeneration.
Freedom is the freedom to say that two plus two make four. If that is granted, all else follows. -- 6079 Smith W.
Daniel Pfeffer wrote:
beyond hope of regeneration
Definitely untrue. Just hyperbole and rhetoric, which is fine. A counter argument is that we developers who began with BASIC and did "regenerate" are the better for it. I do wonder which form of BASIC he was commenting on, the earliest form (1964) which requires line numbers and has few features, or a modern version (but still not VB). I have seen significant programs written in VAX BASIC -- though I still have nightmares.
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Kornfeld Eliyahu Peter wrote:
Do we live in the same country?
Geographically - yes. :)
Kornfeld Eliyahu Peter wrote:
(I used to be like her - it wasn't easy on me, so I decided to try and lead her on different paths...)
At age 58, I am like her. As you say, it's not easy, but all I need out of life is to support my family and enjoy my hobbies. World-conquering can wait. :) My biggest problem is managers who see my age and experience, and want to "promote" me from specification, design, and coding to a managerial or a "people-facing" position. :omg:
Freedom is the freedom to say that two plus two make four. If that is granted, all else follows. -- 6079 Smith W.
I've worked hard to stay at the bottom of the corporate ladder.
