Best Paradigm For a First Programming Course?

Keyper7 writes "The first programming course I had during my computer science schooling, aptly named 'Introduction to Programming,' was given in C because its emphasis was on imperative programming. A little before I graduated, though, it was decided that the focus would change to object-oriented programming with Java. (I must emphasize that the change was not made because of any hype about Java or to dumb down the course; back then and still, it's presented by good Java programmers who try to teach good practices and do not encourage excessive reliance on libraries.) But the practices taught are not paradigm-independent, and this sparked a discussion that continues to this day: which paradigm is most appropriate to introduce programming? Besides imperative and object-oriented, I know teachers who firmly believe that functional programming is the best choice. I'm interested in language-independent opinions that Slashdotters might have on this matter. Which paradigm is good to introduce programming while keeping a freshman's mind free enough for him/her to learn other paradigms afterwards?"

Comments

In OO We Trust?

[Wowlapalooza]

The methods within an object are, of course, functional.

Despite omnipresent side effects?

Um, "omnipresent" means being everywhere, simultaneously, and is thus an attribute of a deity. I doubt that even the most ardent OO-worshipper would ascribe godhood to an object.

I'm thinking the word you meant was something more along the lines of "inevitable" or "ineluctable".