[Year 12 Its] Ideas for starting programming

[Mark Kelly]

Thanks all for the good ideas.  My main language will probably be VB2005 
Express, since it's free and chock-full of juicy widgets.

I plan to use a completely different platform for the introductory 
concepts, just to show how the same core concepts (looping, IF, 
subprograms etc) appear in most languages.

I'm just now watching the free VB2005 express tutorials and then it's 
time to wrestle the python  :-)

And a quick turtle adventure will be fun to start with...

Our Year 9s can do a Game Maker elective so that might be useful in a 
couple of years too.

Thanks all!

Mark

Guy Flaherty wrote:
> Mark,
> 
> You might like to take a look at python and in particular the excellent pygame 
> library for teaching students how to program. Not only do you get an 
> outstanding programming language that is ideally suited to learning how to 
> program and available for just about any platform/OS you can throw at it, you 
> also get the added motivation value of making games! All free to use as much 
> as you like with lots of possibility to grow and expand as you find new areas 
> of interest. Python is a fantastic language to teach with and its simplicity 
> yet flexibility are making it a very popular 'beginner's programming 
> language'.
> 
> If you are interested and looking for resources, or anyone else for that 
> matter, let me know and I can point you to plenty of information to get you 
> started.
> 
> Good luck with deciding :)
> 
> Guy Flaherty
> Information Systems
> Xavier College
> 
> On Monday 13 November 2006 09:51, Mark Kelly wrote:
>> Hi all.  My SoD kids will probably be starting with zero programming
>> experience and I was tossing around ideas for a kick-off point.
>>
>> So far I've thought of Microworlds (Logo) - they did in in year 7 so it
>> should be a warm and fuzzy reminder of their childhoods  :-)
>>
>> And Lego Mindstorms - they can program cars and robots.
>>
>> Then they might be ready to go to VB or similar.
>>
>> What do you guys use to kickstart programming?
>>
>> Mark
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