There was a time when I was simply told what to teach, what resources to use, and to get on with it.
Now I am making the decisions on what languages to use and they are not all straightforward.
First, A-level Computing:
The group who start OCR A-level Computing in September will (mostly) have used Greenfoot in GCSE ICT. There will be some who did not do GCSE ICT, and I expect this in future years too. Greenfoot is suitable for A-level coursework, but that’s not my only concern:
- At AS, one of their exams is about the basic components of programming (June 2012 paper is here). This can be taught in practically any language.
- If I use Java for this, it will be familiar ground to those who have already done Greenfoot. Those who did not use Greenfoot might feel they are at a disadvantage and allow the ‘experts’ around them to put them off.
- Java is widely taught, from first principles, in universities. There is no expectation for students to have done Java at A-level.
- I did Turbo Pascal at school, then mostly Turbo Pascal for a year at university, (and was bored in Yr 1, as I wasn’t learning much new – when I taught myself C, it was via Turbo C – same environment). This over-emphasis on one language and one environment was not entirely helpful. Would my decision to use Java do the same thing to my own students?
- I am not here to teach Java, or any language in particular. The main concern is to teach programming principles.
- Java is a great language to learn, and I have taught it from basics before, at this level. However, the syntax of Java can be a pain. Also, graphics handling with Java can be fiddly (unless there is a drag-and-drop interface for Swing – a sort-of VB interface for Java – let me know if there is one!).
So, the more I think about this, the more my mind wanders back to…. Pascal, which I learned at school. “But Pascal is ancient”, say some. Yes, it is. It is also a well proven teaching language and is well used in schools. It has a straightforward syntax and IDEs don’t have the same confusing clutter that the likes of Visual Studio or Eclipse have. Remember, the important thing is not the language, but the principles that are taught. If they are taught properly, these skills will transfer equally well to C, C++, C#, Ruby, etc. Anyway, it’s not the Turbo Pascal you might be thinking of – it’s Object Pascal, aka Delphi (or the FOSS implementation, Lazarus).
So, that’s my dilemma. Everything needed to be taught at AS can be taught in Java or Object Pascal. Which is the most effective preparation for the future? Should I concentrate on Java, or do something that will make sure they can switch between programming environments and languages (something that was a shock to me, when C++ came along!).
Then there’s the A2 project. Greenfoot would be lovely for this, and despite GCSE experience, most of the class will have to learn this anew as they’ll have forgotten. If we have done Delphi, the option of some sort of forms-driven interface for data processing is also going to be there for someone. If we do Java at AS, anything forms-driven will involve a hairy experience with Swing in Java – the hairiness of this could push students towards Greenfoot. I have nothing against a pile of Greenfoot games, but the option of other things would be nice. As it happens, for the past two years the OCR sample project has been a reverse-engineered 1980s game in C# (though Greenfoot is also acceptable).
Why not C#? I know less C# than would fill a postage-stamp, that’s why. Before teaching it (as I may well do at some point in the future), I need to be properly confident with it. My spare hacking time is in learning Python, for GCSE (see below).
Then there’s my GCSE dilemma:
If a glance at the CAS forums is to be believed, there’s a lot of people out there using Python. They are all sharing their resources, which I would happily plagiarise steal borrow. If other people who you respect have been through this course with Python, which I am trying to learn anyway, then why not listen to their experience? The requirements (while/if/else/lists/general problem solving – any language will do).
“But you love Greenfoot” someone said to me. Yes, I think Greenfoot is brilliant and even if we do not use it for Controlled Assessment, we will definitely use it for teaching, at some point. I’m not about to throw out my experiences with it. I’m not sure if putting all my GCSE eggs into a Java basket is a good idea (fiddly syntax and so-on).
But the more I talk to people whose opinion I respect, the more I find out some are very happy using Delphi, and running straight into A-level with it.
So, back to my original dilemma - do I want to make everybody use one language, all the way through GCSE and A-level?
Answers on a postcard, please!
