alice-teacher Python vs. Alice

[William Stanard]

Karen,
I teach both Python and Alice in high school. I tried to use Python as a beginning course, but I found that for many kids, it was too abstract and not enough fun (unless you are a would-be programmer, in which case you'll go for any language offered including Cobal). Alice, on the other hand, from the least abstract 7th and 8th graders all the way through pretty savvy 12th graders (again, these are not would-be programmers, but they are kids who have to take a programming course in order to graduate) is a natural. You can do so much with it... and the kids will follow you anywhere. Once Alice 3.0 is out of Beta, I will use it for my high school classes, while continuing to use 2.2 in the middle school classes. You can make Alice just as complex or simple as you like. Great stuff!
Regards,
Bill

Wm. W. Stanard
Chair, Academic Computing
Member, English Department
Palmer Trinity School
Miami, FL 33157
(305) 969-4239

PS Contact me off-line if you want to go further in the discussion...

There is no box...
________________________________
From: Karen Alkoby [karen.alkoby at gallaudet.edu]
Sent: Tuesday, December 28, 2010 10:45 PM
To: alice-teachers at lists.andrew.cmu.edu
Subject: alice-teacher Python vs. Alice

Hello all,

I am exploring Alice and think it may a smooth transition to Java for students. However, I am a little bit concerned about having too much graphic concept in Alice. I am a new faculty and am teaching Java programming courses. The committee wants to use Python as the first programming course. I felt that learning Python would not help students to become better students in Java courses. Students become frustrated when they face rigorous programming language like in Java. Which textbook and tutorial materials are the best and prepare students for Java? I hope there are some materials that do not require too much 3D graphical concepts. They are all deaf and hard of hearing students. Of course, it is a fairly challenging in recruiting and retaining them.

I need some advice from someone who had some experiences in teaching Python, but they switched to Alice at the higher education institution for a better reason. Is there an advantage of learning Alice rather than Python in the CS1 course? I look forward to hear from your feedbacks or/and suggestions soon.  I could see this is great for high school students but I am not sure about for college students (at least 20 years old for most of my students).  Will they become bored with Alice as if it is designed for younger students?

Have a wonderful and safe holiday.

Thanks, Karen


--
Dr. Karen Alkoby, Ph.D.
Dept. of Business -  Information Technology


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