[plt-scheme] Re: Poacher turned gamekeeper

When I sense students are wondering "Why do I have to go through this...", I look for something really cool to show them, a look into the future, to indicate what this is leading to.  Then I come back to the present task.  The games that come with DrScheme often help.  For the more mathematically inclined, I show (quickly) some math and simulation packages that exist in PLaneT.  Long term, there are a number of simulators that exist in other languages I'd like to port to DrScheme--we need more application examples.

This morning I visited my 10 year-old's 8th grade math glass.  He explained his Game Maker program, another group of students showed their work with Scratch, and I introduced them to Bootstrap.  This is the second time I've given a presentation to 8th graders in four days.  I'm really struck by their inquisitiveness.  They ask questions endlessly, which is really refreshing!

Geoff

On Nov 9, 2009, at 21:37, Shriram Krishnamurthi wrote:

> I wasn't responding to Matthias's message specifically, just the general issue.
> 
> I do like Matthias's exercise (obviously, I'm biased where that
> particular problem is concerned <-;).
> 
> These are all different ways of getting the captives to calm down and
> start thinking and paying attention.
> 
> On Mon, Nov 9, 2009 at 9:26 PM, Robby Findler
> <robby at eecs.northwestern.edu> wrote:
>> I agree with not being hostile, but Matthias's exercise can be quite
>> valuable. Captives who don't want to be there are worse than people
>> who can go away if they want and his exercise can convert some, if
>> done with a bit of care.
>> 
>> Robby
>> 
>> On Mon, Nov 9, 2009 at 7:53 PM, Shriram Krishnamurthi <sk at cs.brown.edu> wrote:
>>>> They are a captive audience. They do not have the option of dropping
>>>> the course.
>>> 
>>> Then don't be hostile.  You will already face a little resentment for
>>> doing things non-traditionally.  Show them instead why it's better.
>>> After showing them animations with World, show them that you have
>>> already introduced them to what is generally considered an "advanced
>>> software engineering" topic (MVC, for us) in week 1.
>>> 
>>> Just last week a major practitioner of software methodology (big-time
>>> author, consultant) wrote asking for access to our World material, to
>>> teach his child, on the grounds that it embodied the methodology he
>>> used and preached in his professional life.
>>> 
>>> Shriram