Questions tagged [introductory-lesson]
Questions related to introducing a subject, paradigm, concept etc., in a specific lesson. Use this tag only for asking about a specific lesson for introducing a specific subject.
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Should a cs teacher teach non-scientific methods?
Is it normal that a computer science educator teaches something and gives no reference nor proof that his method is useful? What should a student do if he was taught something that sounds useful but ...
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What Informal Description Might Help Beginning Students Understand Python's `str.strip()` method?
When teaching python to new students in middle school (or any age group), the students sometimes find the python documentation to be a bit overwhelming.
What is a short, easy-to-understand description ...
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Seek for textbook suggestions of introductory software engineering
I am looking for a good textbook to teach freshman (or some sophomores) introductory to software engineering.
Specially, need that the textbook has example labs/projects for the whole semester ...
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Driven to Abstraction
One recurring discussion I have on this site which I have never understood is:
Why not teach people how computers work right away?
This always leads people to speculate about cosmic strings and other ...
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What are some good conditional branching excercise scenarios?
I want to get my students to exercise the conditional-branching mind-muscle. [edit: and I need it to be fun/playful]
I will ask them to read pseudo-code, then represent as a branching sketch[^1]. And ...
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Services-centered design
I am having some difficulties to find free access documentation, lecture notes, scientific papers, or books, on a course I have to give. Course topic is "Services-centered design".
Course ...
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Logo course scaffolding
Good afternoon, colleagues!
We're planning a year-long intro course to computer science for middle schoolers and going to use Logo as a main language but also looking for alternatives available to 5-...
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Is it necessary or advisable to teach text-based input and output in a non-CS intro programming course?
I teach an intro programming course in a social science department. My field is geographic information systems. The goal for the course is for the students to understand scripting in an interpreted ...
Lee Hachadoorian
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What do programming novices need to know when using MatLab?
I am an assistant professor preparing a 5 lecture series 'introduction to programming'. The target audience are first year engineering undergrads - from a mix of mechanical, electrical, electronic, ...
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Physical Activity for Objects
I have a vague notion that I could create some sort of introductory activity for Objects. There would be worksheets ("programs") to get kids (high school, in this case) to physically go through the ...
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What is the CS Analog To Learning One's Multiplication Tables?
I apologize; I know this question is sort of open-ended and if I could think of a way to make it more specific, I would.
What would you consider a piece of CS so fundamental that it would be ...
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What is the best way to teach JavaScript functions to middle schoolers?
I am teaching middle school kids (aged 11-13) some basic JavaScript and want to get some "professional" opinions.
I am introducing JavaScript with a simple function with a variable, a prompt, if/else,...
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Simple, Compact, Rounded Definition of the term "Programming Construct"
A younger friend of mine, a high school student I have been encouraging to take his Computer Studies class seriously, and possibly go for CS in tertiary education, brought this problem to me. He was ...
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What are some non-CS concepts that can be defined using BNF notation?
I'm preparing a class on the modified BNF notation that python uses. I.e.,
Each rule begins with a name (which is the name defined by the rule) and ::=. A vertical bar (...
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How to introduce Kotlin in a Programming Languages course
I'm teaching an upper-division college Programming Languages course, in which students have learned some Scheme, Haskell, and Go. Students' strongest language is Java, which we use in most of our ...
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Teaching binary to 6-8 year olds
I'm teaching some introduction lessons to a classroom of 6-8 year olds about basic 21st century skills. A fundamental part of this is how computers represent numbers, words and images, which all ...
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Book recommendation: basic, broad and solid overview for advanced learners
I did a PhD in software engineering, now working in financial IT. I had a proper education in algorithms, data structures, operating systems, networks, software etc. and worked as a tutor for Java, ...
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Research into the use of symbol names, in programming, and how it affects learning
When programming we need to name things. I have been using turtle graphics in python, and was wondering if the names, chosen, for the commands, were making it more difficult for my pupils.
Some of ...
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Boolean Logic: How to Explain + as OR?
In a previous question, I asked about the appropriate notation when teaching Boolean logic to students ages about 11–14. I selected the notation of engineering and computer science in part because I ...
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How can we educators improve a lot of the negative behavior within the CS community
One thing I noticed in the years I've studied CS and wrote code is the arrogance that a lot of programmers have within the CS community.
I remember in high school, coding was just for the tech savvy ...
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Could physical (i.e. lego) models help teach CS?
In this video, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t5NszbIerYc Dr. David Brailsford uses an elegant Lego model to explain pointers and linked lists.
Do you think that using physical models could make it ...
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Is it bad to introduce language features in ways that are different than they will be used in practice?
I found the following example in chapter two of Annotated Algorithms in Python (PDF)
...
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Teaching students that printf() is not the same as return
For a few years, I have been teaching a programming class to first-year electrical engineering students -- thus, this is their first contact with computer programming. The language used is C (although ...
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Example for For vs While Loop (in Java)
I'm looking for a set of concrete examples that illustrates good use cases of using a for vs a while loop for beginners. I feel ...
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Introduction to programming class: use Spreadsheets to introduce fundamentals
Are there any "pros" or "cons" I have overlooked regarding using Excel
as a means to introduce a range of fundamental programming concepts.
This question relates to teaching a programming module at ...
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How to effectively teach strings and string literal constants?
I am teaching a general introductory CS course to 18-19 year olds, with Python3 as a support language, and I am not satisfied with how some students respond to strings and string literals. That is ...
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Introducing Pair Programming
I'm currently reading a book, Polymorphism: As It Is Played, which has introduced me to several new instructional ideas. I am particularly intrigued by Pair Programming, which seems like it could ...
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How to introduce Scala to a team of Java developers without being boring?
I work in a startup where each week, a member of the team does a short presentation (30-60 min) on a subject in front of the others. It is a very informal and relaxed session, but now it is my turn ...
user2589
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How can I determine if a student would enjoy or has an aptitude for CS?
I'm a developer with a little CS teaching history, and I have a nephew who enjoys math (Algebra-Calculus) quite a bit in high school. Because of this, I feel like he should at least try computer ...
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What's a good initial lesson for teaching arduino?
I'm currently planning a new class at my school on prototyping with arduino (which could later morph into more pcb design). I'm stuck on my first hands on lesson. I want the students to see the ...
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Lesson plan for teaching java graphics
Background:
This lesson should give a firm foundation for graphics in Swing in java to students in high school who know OOP in java (...
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Lesson ideas for introducing macros in C
Thanks to working with Racket recently, I've been spending a lot of time learning about and implementing non-trivial macros. In the process, I have been thinking about ways to apply this skill to my ...
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Jargon/Vocab about variables--- yes or no?
In my experience (working with college freshmen mostly), I've tried to emphasize precise vocabulary about the concepts and syntax related to creating and changing variables. This is wording like:
...
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What is a good analogy to introduce databases and SQL?
I think that it is vital to introduce each subject area with a few handy, even if limited, images or concepts that make the idea clear. Here is how I introduce SQL (in part):
SQL takes a set of ...
user737
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How do I approach teaching Python to 12-year-olds as a first-time teacher?
I'm currently teaching Python, to three 12-year-olds. They have no experience at all, and my task is to introduce them to programming concepts, and to Python. I'm fairly experienced in programming, ...
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Transition from Java to Python
I am preparing to teach students python, in addition to java.
Usually, I test a proof of concept (POC) of my teaching with a handful of students, so as to know if my lesson plans are good (I teach ...
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What program follows "hello, world"?
You've just demoed your first bit of code in whatever language you're teaching. The requisite "hello, world" has been said. The program has been compiled (or interpreted) and run. Now what?
There has ...
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Explaining basic html structure
I am trying to think of a lesson plan about html, and I am looking for a good way to explain the concept of the structure of an html file.
I was wondering whether ...
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How can I convey the idea of a programming language vs. a markup language?
When I try and teach web development to absolute beginners, I seem to always get a question about the roles of HTML/CSS/JS and about how the browser renders the HTML. It seems to me that the confusion ...
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