Had to change email server so now can continue in this thread. Thanks for all of the ideas and comments so far it has made an interesting discussion.
Quote from a previous message "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)" What we are trying to look into is how we can help children learn programming in a novel way (perhaps in some ways back to the views of Papert - discovery and intervention) Having to try and teach sixth-formers (16-18years) programming for A-level using contrived examples such as mortgage calculations etc is the introduction to programming that we can all dismiss as unfriendly. In an ICT curriculum where we teach wordprocessing and other key application skills to help children (11-14years) use ICT in other subjects (ie coursework) I was hoping to re-introduce programming. Yes this would be classed as teaching programming, but surely you never teach a module just for that purpose - hopefully by using novel situations (robotics etc) and working in groups the other outcomes will be problem-solving, team work, understanding how to express algorithmic structures to fellow peers ... (and in someways perhaps these are as important as learning some of the basics of programming) I would agree that programming for children might often not be what is ideal and hence this is why it has diminished from the curriculum but I would rather my students had a basic idea of sequence,selection,iteration, for example, than how to use some wordprocessor that will have changed versions by the time they leave school anyway. ( but obviously wordprocessing will reamin part of ICT at school !! ) Martyn ---------------------------------------------------------------------- PPIG Discuss List ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) Discuss admin: http://limitlessmail.net/mailman/listinfo/discuss Announce admin: http://limitlessmail.net/mailman/listinfo/announce PPIG Discuss archive: http://www.mail-archive.com/discuss%40ppig.org/
