Teaching Python: Ten+ Years of Successes, Trials and Tribulations
summary
Ten years of classroom trials lead to concrete choices: adopt Python in 2009 using the NCSS Challenge and Grok plus CodeAcademy and Coursera for drills, use pygame for graphics, accept occasional Python 2/3 tradeoffs, and require explicit fundamentals teaching. Students build Markov-chain text predictors, TF‑IDF + k‑means summarizers, neural net handwriting recognizers, A pathfinding on uploaded maps and a high‑altitude balloon simulation. Results: about 170 students* in years 11–12, higher enrolments, and clearer project-driven learning with open‑ended, collaborative tasks.
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chapters (12)
- 0:00Intro
- 0:23The guy at the front...
- 1:53Digital Technologies
- 4:47Unfamiliar
- 6:57Starting Out
- 9:27Python Adoption
- 11:48Python strengths
- 12:58Obstacles to learning
- 14:45Make it as painless as possible
- 22:38IT Task Structure
- 23:27Why did you like learning Python?
- 25:03Success checklist
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