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One of the best programming courses I took we only used pen and paper to write pseudo-code. Not having actual computers allowed us to focus on what we were lear
by jtbayly 5y ago
One of the best programming courses I took we only used pen and paper to write pseudo-code. Not having actual computers allowed us to focus on what we were learning, rather than wasting time with the arbitrary details of a particular language’s syntax.
- krageon 5y ago> rather than wasting time with the arbitrary details of a particular language’s syntax. Learning strict syntax and semantics is the most difficult for students just starting out with programming. It's not wasting time at all. Programming on paper can work great, as long as the syntax is well-defined and graded for.
- jtbayly 5y agoThis was not a basic intro to programming course. It was an intermediate theory course.
- krageon 5y agoIn an intermediate theory course asking to "not be bogged down by syntax" would be a big red flag for a student (to me). Perhaps we just have a different attitude to this, that is okay.
- jtbayly 5y agoWe spent many hours each week on 4 homework problems (per week) that were progressively harder, and built on each other. Not sure how to explain, but there was no need to have any extra time spent on getting the syntax right. If you could figure out the logic, that was what you were supposed to be learning.