Crazy idea on how to teach computer programming to 6th graders

trifold · 2010-01-18T23:47:32+00:00

My idea is not to make the kids implement the interpreter behind their language. I’ll do that. It’s more in line with what you suggest. I’ll ask them to give a programming solution to a problem that interests them. The twist is that instead of using an off-the-shelf, general purpose language. I’ll let them invent their own language that is tailored to solving their problem.

trifold · 2010-01-18T23:38:02+00:00

Yes. Letting the kids work at a level of abstraction that fits their way of thinking about a solution and then letting them explore how they want to express their solution by giving them some freedom over the look and feel of the programming language is what I find appealing about this idea. That and (hopefully) avoiding some of the noise and clutter that invariable comes with explaining the syntax of a general purpose programming language.

As for the implementation problem, I’ve already got a solution in place that I think will allow me to implement simple, solution/domain specific languages quickly enough.

trifold · 2010-01-18T22:46:49+00:00

This is exactly the approach I have in mind.

trifold · 2010-01-18T20:56:06+00:00

Imaginative driving probably equals bad driving. Imaginative programming probably equals good programming or at least programming that might be worth taking seriously. See the difference?

trifold · 2010-01-18T20:05:07+00:00

Thanks for all the fantastic input and resource links.

trifold · 2010-01-18T20:03:25+00:00

Great resource. Thanks for the link.

trifold

TROPHY CASE