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Re: [Phys-L] computer programming for kids


On 2013, Jun 26, , at 11:33, Larry Smith <larry.smith@snow.edu> wrote:

This is not exclusively a physics question, but it is related.

Should every kid learn how to program computers in public schools?
In what grade(s)?
Using what language(s)?

What other technology skills should kids learn in public schools?


Well ain't school, but both Eisberg and Feynman taught leapfrog. Many chapters in Eisberg & Lerner's book have end of ch. numerical exercises and that's decades ago.

Being an old foggy, I object to black box programming. e.g. drag and drop, etc. for maths., modeling, etc. OK for text writing.


bc encouraged to learn Runge-Kutta then read recent text-- don't bother computers fast enuf to set step size small enuf for good accuracy. He also uses TruBASIC. on old computer because not supported on the Intels.