Python would be great choice. Procedural could lead right into OO programming. Functional programming could be touched on as well.
The greatest advantage to python is how similar to English it is. When 'while a equals b print c' involves swapping only a single word for a symbol and adding a colon: while a == b: print c
the students wouldn't feel like they where learning a new language, just a new way to express one which they already knew. Using a language which has an interactive environment would also be a plus since code the kids could quickly test code they write. Also, using a dynamicly typed language would remove the kids from having to deal with type specifics. The kids don't need to learn why a number is anything but a number in an introduction to programming course.
So do I but some people just can't, and you can't hold it against all of them. The fact that there is a serious conversation about more efficient alternatives to American's ~20mpg tanks is a really good thing.
I would like to note that when I lived in Columbia, MD, I biked what I know a lot of people in the area would never consider riding. It was 5 miles, and easy. I do think that a lot of people dismiss riding because they think their roads aren't safe enough, or they think that 10 miles round trip is just too far, which are both ridiculous reasons not to ride.
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Then why not:
print "Hello world"
Python would be great choice. Procedural could lead right into OO programming. Functional programming could be touched on as well.
The greatest advantage to python is how similar to English it is. When 'while a equals b print c' involves swapping only a single word for a symbol and adding a colon:
while a == b: print c
the students wouldn't feel like they where learning a new language, just a new way to express one which they already knew. Using a language which has an interactive environment would also be a plus since code the kids could quickly test code they write. Also, using a dynamicly typed language would remove the kids from having to deal with type specifics. The kids don't need to learn why a number is anything but a number in an introduction to programming course.
Of course it would only take that long. We can totally fly at the speed of light.
So do I but some people just can't, and you can't hold it against all of them. The fact that there is a serious conversation about more efficient alternatives to American's ~20mpg tanks is a really good thing.
I would like to note that when I lived in Columbia, MD, I biked what I know a lot of people in the area would never consider riding. It was 5 miles, and easy. I do think that a lot of people dismiss riding because they think their roads aren't safe enough, or they think that 10 miles round trip is just too far, which are both ridiculous reasons not to ride.