4 ms·

Does anyone have personal experiences of seeing beginner using Swift Playground to learn to code and understanding programming ideas? How effect is it? How read

Does anyone have personal experiences of seeing beginner using Swift Playground to learn to code and understanding programming ideas? How effect is it? How ready are they to enter "actual programming" after completing the playground?

KarlKemp 5y ago
At least the previous iteration so much about “completing” anything. It didn’t use the gamification-like mechanisms (“challenges”). And it was not “not real” programming. It left out a lot of the complexity of a project and focused on writing source code, the very heart of the definition of programming. I use them the way I use the REPL in languages that have it: to quickly try out an idea, or to improvise some single-purpose one-off data munging.
- mattcwilson 5y ago
  I worked for an edu tech startup that built a series of playgroundbooks for learning robotics programming. It is a solid, top-tier learning environment for kids and beginners. Apple has high standards for content you produce in a playgroundbook if you want to be in the main subscription set. And that pays off big time in the lesson sizes, the consistency, and the accessibility of the material no matter which publisher
marstall 5y ago
my 9 year old son loves it - he's learned basic programming ideas in it for sure - loops, functions, etc. gives him a sense of accomplishment and we do it together which is nice.
edge17 5y ago
I tried to use it during development to test code in a sandbox but it always felt unstable and unnatural.
spaceisballer 5y ago
Legit beginner here, I only read a little of some beginner python books but never got far. It was more fun than working through a book, more engaging. I think I may go back to it after seeing some of these updates. There is also a decent variety of options beside just going through the tutorials.

4 ms·

Does anyone have personal experiences of seeing beginner using Swift Playground to learn to code and understanding programming ideas? How effect is it? How read

by slmjkdbtl 5y ago

KarlKemp 5y ago
At least the previous iteration so much about “completing” anything. It didn’t use the gamification-like mechanisms (“challenges”). And it was not “not real” programming. It left out a lot of the complexity of a project and focused on writing source code, the very heart of the definition of programming. I use them the way I use the REPL in languages that have it: to quickly try out an idea, or to improvise some single-purpose one-off data munging.
- mattcwilson 5y ago
  I worked for an edu tech startup that built a series of playgroundbooks for learning robotics programming. It is a solid, top-tier learning environment for kids and beginners. Apple has high standards for content you produce in a playgroundbook if you want to be in the main subscription set. And that pays off big time in the lesson sizes, the consistency, and the accessibility of the material no matter which publisher
marstall 5y ago
my 9 year old son loves it - he's learned basic programming ideas in it for sure - loops, functions, etc. gives him a sense of accomplishment and we do it together which is nice.
edge17 5y ago
I tried to use it during development to test code in a sandbox but it always felt unstable and unnatural.
spaceisballer 5y ago
Legit beginner here, I only read a little of some beginner python books but never got far. It was more fun than working through a book, more engaging. I think I may go back to it after seeing some of these updates. There is also a decent variety of options beside just going through the tutorials.