Hi, I am a final year CS student in University College Cork. Python is not currently covered here although, I could see it working very well for first years like Paul describes. I am one of those students who said "why weren't we shown this in 1st year" when I discovered python.
I would be interested in this discussion also, and to bring a student's point of view. Unfortunately, since I am in Cork, I can't make the Dublin meetups, sorry. Thanks, Barry On 8 January 2011 12:50, Paul Barry <[email protected]> wrote: > Hi, > > Unfortunately, family commitments keep me away from the Python Ireland > meet-ups during the week. :-( > > [If it wasn't for my kids, I'd never get out]. > > That said, I'm very much interested in usage of Python within the 3rd > level setting and would like to contribute to the conversation. > > I teach Python to 3rd level undergrads at IT Carlow, mainly to two groups. > > The first group is 3rd year Computer Games Development students on > their "Web Development and Databases" module. These students have > spent 2 years learning ASM, C, C++ and C#... Python comes as a > refreshing change. :-) > > I also cover Python in the 4th year of the Software > Development/Engineering degree where (again) it is used within a Web > Development setting as well as a vehicle to cover other assorted > technologies. Some of these students have used "similar" such > technologies before (mainly PHP), and have a mix of languages in their > background... C, C++, Java, C#, and so on. > > Among other materials, I use my latest book (Head First Python, > http://oreilly.com/catalog/9781449382674/) with both of these class > groups. > > The University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada > (http://web.cs.toronto.edu/Page4.aspx) uses this book from the > Pragmatic Programmers > (http://pragprog.com/titles/gwpy/practical-programming) as an > introductory undergraduate text book. Some of the authors of the book > also teach at the University. It's a general introduction to > computing science and uses Python for its code examples. > > The University of Advancing Technology, Tempe, Arizona, USA > (http://www.uat.edu/majors/default.aspx) uses my other O'Reilly book > (Head First Programming, http://oreilly.com/catalog/9780596802387) > with *all* of the undergraduate IT courses (currently 9 separate class > groupings). Python is used as the "first language" with these > students, making HF Programming a perfect fit. The staff there are > great supporters of Python at 3rd level. > > Obviously, I believe Python to be an especially good fit at 3rd level. > I've taught Perl, Ruby and (now) Python within this setting, and > Python is by far the easiest to work with (this is my 2nd year > covering it in detail). Student reaction to it is always very > positive and encouraging. (I've been teaching scripting languages to > undergrads for over a decade). I hear the same moan every year: "Why > weren't we shown this in 1st year?!?!". > > Most of my co-workers think I'm quite mad... and they then struggle to > teach Java (and its like) to 1st years, while constantly wondering why > doing so turns over 50% of 1st years off programming for life... so > figure! > > Regards. > > Paul. > > On 7 January 2011 21:08, Julie Pichon <[email protected]> wrote: > > Hi folks, > > > > I remember hearing during one of the meet-ups last year that there was > > sort of a workgroup or people-interested-in-the-topic of Python in > > Universities and in third level education in general. Is this still > > going on or currently on stand-by? What were/are the general thoughts > > and ideas on the topic, is there any place where I can find more > > information? Anyone involved in this that I can talk with at the > > meet-up on Wednesday? :) > > > > Thanks & happy new year, > > > > Julie > > > > -- > > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "Python Ireland" group. > > To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. > > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > [email protected]<pythonireland%[email protected]> > . > > For more options, visit this group at > http://groups.google.com/group/pythonireland?hl=en. > > > > > > > > -- > Paul Barry, w: http://paulbarry.itcarlow.ie, e: [email protected] > Lecturer, Computer Networking: Institute of Technology, Carlow, Ireland. > (More at: http://www.oreillynet.com/pub/au/3677) > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "Python Ireland" group. > To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > [email protected]<pythonireland%[email protected]> > . > For more options, visit this group at > http://groups.google.com/group/pythonireland?hl=en. > > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Python Ireland" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/pythonireland?hl=en.
