On 1.03.2016 04:19, Jim Hurley wrote:
As programmers, most of us on this list think mainly of programming as a tool
for solving problems.
Of course, that’s how it was born. The original use of the computer was to
solve hard science problems. It was assumed that a couple dozen around the
world would be sufficient.
But, besides learning how to become programmers there is another important use,
particularly in education, and that is computer programming as a tooI for
exploring.
If you’re talking about early education, consideration should be given to
Turtle Graphics. Yes, that again.
Seymour Papert, a protege of Piaget, founded the MIT Media Lab. The lab was
responsible for implementing LOGO (based on Lisp) and Tuttle Graphics designed
for young children. As many of you know, I have long been an advocate of
implementing TG in LC. It is a powerful tool for learning and exploring.
Here, for example, is a book written by two MIT Math professors: Turtle
Geometry, The Computer as Medium for Exploring Mathematics. MIT press, 1979.
(The last chapter is titled: Curved Space and General Relativity.)
Here are the chapter titles of a book I wrote some years back designed to allow
students to explore the world of physics: Logo Physics, Holt, Rinehart and
Winston, 1985
Chapter 1 Vectors
Chapter 2 Equilibrium of forces
Chapter 3 Free fall
Chapter 4 Projectile motion and the CRT
Chapter 5 Projectile motion II
Chapter 6 The monkey, the hunter, and Einstein’s principle of equivalence
Chapter 7 Escape velocity
Chapter 8 Planetary Motion
Chapter 9 The music of the spheres
Chapter 10 Voyager II and lunar orbits
Chapter 11 Jets, rockets, and conservation of momentum
Chapter 12 The harmonic oscillator, clocks, rabbits, and foxes
(predator-prey simulation)
Chapter 13 The big bang
Chapter 14 Radioactive decay
Chapter 15 Bridges, catenaries, and the perfect arch
Chapter 16 Fishes and optics
Cheater 17 Rainbows
If If we're talking about the “The Future of LiveCode in Education” we
ought to consider programming as a tool for exploration.
Jim
90% of programming-for-education should be exploration rather than
coding-qua-coding as
about 90% of school kids are probably not going to go onto careers as
coders as such
(although they may, like myself, lurk on the peripheries).
As, in the "West" at least, people are getting ever more paranoid about
children getting their
hands dirty and "risk", the opportunity for kids to "get down-and-dirty"
with, say, a few bottles of acid,
alkali and a nice, wide selection of
"only-if-you-are-a-cretin-are-they-really-dangerous" reagents has
been reduced to a big fat zero, the only realistic theatre for
exploration does seem to be on computers.
LiveCode is the /de facto/ new BASIC, and should be pushed as such.
Richmond.
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