Should First-Year Programming Students Be Taught With Python and Java?

Long time Slashdot reader Theo Depp wrote: in an op-ed huntington newsDerek Kaplan, fourth-year computer science student at Northeastern University Believes that real pedagogical merit should be considered when deciding which language to use to teach the basics of computer science (Also known as “Fund”). He suggested that Northeastern University reconsider its racket arrive Python and Java Later this year in overhauling its first-year curriculum.

“Students will receive extensive training in Python, which is currently the most requested language by co-op employers,” Northeastern explains. (A Slashdot commenter made the same statement nearly two decades ago.) Popular Languages ​​= Employment Opportunities Observations from the heated debate of 2001 Java as an introductory language for CS)…

“I often hear computer science students complain that Fundies 1 teaches Racket instead of ‘useful languages’ like Python,” Kaplan wrote. “But the purpose of Fundies is not to teach Racket, but to teach programming skills that can be applied using any programming language. Racket is just the tool it uses to achieve this purpose. Students who do well in Fundies will have no difficulty applying the same skills Applied to Python or any other language, with the technology industry changing rapidly, when other languages ​​may dominate the industry tomorrow, is it really worth having a course that only teaches Python?

also Expressed concerns about choosing a language suitable for novice programmers Michael Kölling, professor of computer science at King’s College, explains: “One of the driving factors is the perceived usefulness of languages ​​in the real world. Students (and their parents) often have their own opinions about which language is ‘better’ to learn. In these views, the definition of “better” is often vague, and an important aspect often cited is the perceived usefulness of a language in the “real world”. If a language is widely used in industry, it is more likely to be viewed as a useful language. Colin’s recommendation? “We need a new language to teach entry-level students in schools and colleges,” Colin concluded. “The language should be designed specifically for teaching […] Maintenance and adaptation of this language should be driven by pedagogical considerations rather than industry needs.

Although the intentions are noble, one suspects that Kaplan and Colin may be embarking on a quixotic quest: money wins The world, lagging behind tech giants like Amazon in terms of demand, resources and influence— Top employers for Northeastern MSCS graduates ——Who objects? NSF recommends de-emphasizing Java in high school computer science and Reduced by $15 million have technical support Nonprofit organization Code.org develops a new Java-based, AWS-powered CS curriculum and brings it to high schools with support from: A coalition of politicians, educators and technology companies. Echoing the Northeast, Amazon Press Release It is believed that the new Java-based course “best prepares students for the next step in their education and careers.”