Coding - The new Latin

[X-13]

Ah, I was referring just to pneumatics... My dad is an electronics teacher.

 

Woops... Time for more coffee, I think.

[dhicks]

we've enough computers in school that we could easily run java/python/chosen language for programming. I'm not really sure what extra the Pi is going to give schools?

 

I think the Raspberry Pi has the potential to provide a kick-start to the development of new curriculum materials and a supporting development toolset. You're right, though, there's no real reason such a toolset should be limited just to the Raspberry Pi. The Raspberry Pi itself might be suited for in-school robotics and other physical interfacing projects, and at £25 or so if your fry one it's not a disaster. Lots of schools (the ones who's IT staff aren't on EduGeek, obviously) have rather limited outlooks on what can be done on / plugged in to their network machines, with the fear that something will "break" if you try and run an executable program you've compiled. Raspberry Pis are separate machines, and can be used as doesn't-matter-if-it-breaks programming environments for the nervous.

[Dos_Box]

I see that the govt have backed calls for the recent modernisation of It teaching in schools: BBC News - Government backs call for classroom coding

 

The teaching of computer science must become more relevant to modern needs, said the government.

The government said the current teaching of IT was "insufficiently rigorous and in need of reform".

The call for change came in a response to an industry report which looked at technology teaching in the UK.

Without reform future UK workers would lack key skills and the nation would lose its standing as a video games and visual arts hub, said the report.

 

 

Looks like things are about to get interesting again

[Dos_Box]

You can find the areas being addressed by the UK govt on this document here: http://www.dcms.gov.uk/images/publications/Govt-Resp_NextGen_Cm-8226.pdf

Lots of interesting points

Edited November 29, 2011 by Dos_Box

[SimpleSi]

There is only one contender as starter language and that is Scratch

 

You might only be learning it for a short time (depending on what age its introduced at) but you won't get any syntax errors

 

I would then move onto any language that doesn't need a void main() line in order to work

 

And then you can start doing your OO,metamorethick etc thingies

 

Si

 

PS Really looking forward to the Rasberry PI comign out

[LosOjos]

There is only one contender as starter language and that is Scratch

 

I like Scratch - in fact as part of an OU course I'm on at the moment I'm using a version of it coupled with a version of an Arduino board; Sense and the SenseBaord respectively, AFAIK only people currently on the course have access right now; that could actually be a very good way to teach kids basic programming...

[sonofsanta]

Been talking with my head of IT here again and he's found out that Scratch has a grown up older brother - Squeak

[mikecain]

when i did my o level in computer science, i had to learn basic, i could also hold my own in pascal and fortran. they should bring in an IT course that isnt a web page creation course. There should be a course for the more technical minded students that want to know how to code, and know why and how a pc works.