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Stephen Wolfram: No Need To Teach With 'Toy Programming Languages' Like Scratch (wolfram.com)

Posted by Soulskill on from the aren't-toys-supposed-to-be-fun dept.

theodp writes: From Stephen Wolfram's blog post announcing the Wolfram Programming Lab: "It's a very important — and in fact transformative — moment for programming education. In the past one could use a 'toy programming language' like Scratch, or one could use a professional low-level programming language like C++ or Java. Scratch is easy to use, but is very limited. C++ or Java can ultimately do much more (though they don't have built-in knowledge), but you need to put in significant time—and get deep into the engineering details—to make programs that get beyond a toy level of functionality. With the Wolfram Language, though, it's a completely different story. Because now even beginners can write programs that do really interesting things. And the programs don't have to just be 'computer science exercises': they can be programs that immediately connect to the real world, and to what students study across the whole curriculum. Wolfram Programming Lab gives people a broad way to learn modern programming — and to acquire an incredibly valuable career-building practical skill. But it also helps develop the kind of computational thinking that's increasingly central to today's world." So, when it comes to programming education, are schools hitchIng their cart to the wrong horse?

3 of 214 comments (clear)

  1. Popcorn time by Hognoxious · · Score: 3, Funny

    Settling into a comfy chair & pouring myself a beer...

    --
    Confucius say, "Find worm in apple - bad. Find half a worm - worse."
  2. Examples of bad ideas by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    Asking your carpenter to fit you for braces.

    Asking a wood chipper for a blowjob.

    Asking a physicist to write you a programming language.

    Asking a squirrel to guard your strategic nut reserve.

    Guess which one applies to this story?

  3. Re:I can understand the point. by PolygamousRanchKid+ · · Score: 3, Funny

    C++ and Java are both great beginner's languages.

    I've met folks in projects, who have been programming C++ and Java for 10 years . . . and they still program like they are beginners.

    Hmmm . . . maybe a Fountain of Youth . . . ?

    --
    Schroedinger's Brexit: The UK is both in and out of the EU at the same time!