MESSAGE
| DATE | 2010-01-31 |
| FROM | Ruben Safir
|
| SUBJECT | Subject: [NYLXS - HANGOUT] C++ On Line Workshop
|
----- Forwarded message from Ruben Safir -----
X-Original-To: mrbrklyn-at-panix.com
Delivered-To: mrbrklyn-at-panix.com
Date: Sun, 31 Jan 2010 16:42:43 -0500
From: Ruben Safir
To: NYLUG Technical Discussion
Cc: mrbrklyn-at-panix.com
Subject: Re: [nylug-talk] C++ On Line Workshop
In-Reply-To: <201001311358.18558.Chris.Knadle-at-coredump.us>
User-Agent: Mutt/1.5.20 (2009-06-14)
On Sun, Jan 31, 2010 at 01:58:18PM -0500, Chris Knadle wrote:
> On Saturday 30 January 2010 20:25:41, Ruben Safir wrote:
> > I'm considering working the C++ program in the following manner. I want
> > this to be a serious endeavor with commitment to learning. I hope to
> > initiate the first phase over 3 months. A full blown exploration of the
> > standard C++ language to include syntax, namespace, the standard
> > libraries, compilation, datatypes, memory management, Class structure
> > and Object design, scope, and a run down of the standard libraries
> ...
> > Its a lot of work and it takes a serous commitment. I tried to do this
> > once before and it failed on its face. So I'm hoping we can start this
> > up again with more success.
> ...
You might very well be right Chris, and I want to start from scratch. I
want to take as much time as we need to learn things ***WELL***.
Learning things well, IMO, and in my teaching philosophy, is more
important than covering ground, especially since a lot of things are
just an issue of memorization and practice. I don't always see the
benefit of covering minute details of method or class definitions or
syntax that are adequately documented in text and manuals. I try to
focus on producing good programmers. And sometimes I'll look at something and
just say, "Yeah this is nuts, why was this built like this, it just
confuses the programmer and the creates spagehti code". I'll mention
them but pass over them because I judge that it should best be avoided.
For an example, an object might have 20 methods that it can invoke. But
in real practice, only 5 are essential for 95% of rational coding.
Better to focus on well use of the 5 methods that are useful than
killing people with extensive discussion of the full twenty. This is
not to say one should ignore everything else. But it is saying that if
you need to function as a programmer it is easy to get stuck in the
tarpit of details and lose your bug picture of what your doing.
Students of programming are scupted, not created. And we learn
programming much like we learn natural language. We don't run around
speaking Shakespearean English or speak like an encyclodedia. We learn
the rules of language, how it is cognitively understood, through the
learning of significant idioms. And then we build on that. So I try to
focus on understanding how the language works with your computer, so
that we really understand what we are saying, and focus on the useful
idioms that produce real fluency. I've had a lot of success with this
method of teaching programming. My students have gone on to become some
of the best in the nation.
BTW - if anyone needs access to a development enviorment, I can give
them accounts on the NYLXS server.
Ruben
> > So who is still game? This kind of study could cost someone 10 grand at
> > NYU and you might never learn as much.
>
> I like the idea and I'm glad to have people around with similar interests, as
> it helps motivation. However I'd like to caution you that the pace you'd like
> to keep this at might be too fast. I taught the beginning two C++ courses
> for SUNY Farmingdale back in 2001, so I have an idea of how much work this
> would entail. Your current outline for the first three months would cover an
> entire year of C++ courses at a university.
>
> That said, I'm still up for this.
>
> -- Chris
>
> --
>
> Chris Knadle
> Chris.Knadle-at-coredump.us
> _____________________________________________________________________________
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--
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"Yeah - I write Free Software...so SUE ME"
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"> I'm an engineer. I choose the best tool for the job, politics be damned.<
You must be a stupid engineer then, because politcs and technology have been attached at the hip since the 1st dynasty in Ancient Egypt. I guess you missed that one."
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----- End forwarded message -----
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