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John,
These observations about the importance of the language learned in
the first year are why I developed the material for my book, Computing
Fundamentals: The Theory and Practice of Software Design using
BlackBox Component Builder. Although published in Germany it
is written in English. It is designed for introduction to programming.
Sadly, I must transition to C++ and Java after the first year, but I
have
found the transition to be relatively painless after students have a
complete year with Component Pascal.
In case you are not familiar with the book, it can be found at
these places:
http://www.vieweg.de/
http://www.springer-ny.com/detail.tpl?isbn=3528058285
Also, I have recently posted a complete set of lecture materials
that include program execution animations. See
ftp://ftp.pepperdine.edu/pub/compsci/comp-fund/
Good luck with your efforts.
Best regards,
Stan
J. Stanley Warford
Professor of Computer Science
Pepperdine University
Malibu, CA 90263
310-506-4332
Stan.Warford{([at]})nowhere.xy
On Feb 9, 2004, at 1:58 PM, John Stout wrote:
> I teach Computing at A-level standard at a sixth form college (17-19
> year
> old) in the UK. We have recently moved over to using Visual Basic as
> our
> only language, rather than Pascal (Turbo Pascal 6) in the first year
> and
> Visual Basic the second. The evidence that we have, and other teachers
> we
> have met agree, that the standard of students' understanding is going
> down.
> The first language does indeed affect how they program in the future.
>
> I am involved in a new program where I will be teaching a course in
> Visual
> Programming and I hope to use Oberon for this, specifically under the
> WinAos
> system http://www.antsinfields.de/. The students can download the
> system
> free of charge, it will work under Windows, and I can link it in to
> Windows
> databases via ODBC. Any students who dislike Windows can use Aos
> running
> Native.
>
> I have great hopes of this and only hope I'm not doing my students a
> disservice when they go for a job interview and the reaction to Oberon
> is
> 'What?'
>
> John Stout
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Received on Tue Feb 10 2004 - 00:24:03 UTC