3 ms·
I think you learn something by typing it in that you don't by scanning code on the screen. I learned a lot by typing in Applesoft Basic programs when I was 10.
by tlb 17y ago
I think you learn something by typing it in that you don't by scanning code on the screen. I learned a lot by typing in Applesoft Basic programs when I was 10. It's like the difference between learning a language by actively trying to speak it, vs. just reading.
- stcredzero 17y agoThat's Not the point. It's not the reading, or the typing in that's the key. It was the tweaking! Typing in source code gives you the freedom to tweak because, dammit, you typed that in in the first place! But being able to instantly change source and see the results of it instantly in the running system -- this is a much more immediate way of encouraging tweaking. I'm saying, so long as you want to encourage X, why not directly take the steps to encourage X?
- bphogan 17y agoI don't think you're wrong. But I think we need the examples before we can prove you're right. Nothing prevents anyone from taking this code and building a lab out of it as a secondary method of learning. Of course, you're perfectly free to set up your own project using Squeak. I bet you'd get a lot of people onboard with that. Then you can prove me wrong :)
- stcredzero 17y agoAgain you're not quite understanding the point. Squeak already is a massive project of the kind you're referring to, but substituting instant source access/change/immediate feedback for having kids type in code.
- dagw 17y agoI haven't thought about it for ages, but now looking back on those days, it seems the thing I really learnt was debugging. I basically never got those programs working on the first try and trying to work out exactly what mistake I made was probably at least as educational as modifying the code to make it do new things. That being said, I'm not entirely convinced this is still a good way to teach coding.