On 2004-10-15 21:31, Larry Latour <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> We've seen that students learn programming as an exercise in
> modeling agent behavior, whether it be modeling bird flocking or
> molecule movement or bee swarming, etc, etc... BUT, isn't this
> "modeling" approach also used in OO design approaches to building
> software?
The interesting question here (for me at least) is:
What was the purpose of this exercise: learning to program, learning about
modeling of birds, or learning about both?
In this case I would guess that it was both and I think that this was a great
example of how programming can used in education. But is this the typical
case?
If "yes", I'll humbly go back into my office and close the door.
Unfortunately, I don't think this is the case.
And yes, this is similar to how OO models things ... but once again, is this
how programming is taught? (remember that I'm talking about young kids NOT
university students or future programmers)
> Incidently, am I wrong or didn't the whole OOP thing
> come out of the Smalltalk environment, originally CONCEIVED for
> K-12 programming (and continued nicely in Kay's Squeek
> environment).
Hmmm, I'm not sure but I think Simula was the first OO language (1964) while
Smalltalk arrived in 1969. I don't know enough about any of the languages or
the history to say anything about the design paradigms used at that time.
But I don't think you can say that because OO came from education (I don't
know if this is the case) that programming should be taught for programmings
own sake (to these young kids). There has to be a reason for teaching
programming! So what would this reason be? Problem solving? Math? Biology?
etc?
Any of these reason would be OK with me and I've seen several successful
projects where programming is used to enhance learning of some subject, the
first that comes to my mind are Agentsheets and Boxer. But I don't believe
this is the general case (no data to back this up, just personal experience
from looking at the people around me), instead I think that programming is
taught in isolation. And if this is the case then I think that the time and
effort spent on programming could have used in a better way.
jem
--
Jan Erik Mostr�m www.mostrom.pp.se
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