Making a blog teaching how to program, need some advice

[runningwithscissors]

I agree completely with the statement. Pick a paradigm (functional, imperative, logical), teach the concepts (either in pseudocode or real code), and give real examples in a one language. Too many languages will shift the focus to syntax, which is not what you want.

Well, I think pseudocode sucks. There is nothing more satisfying than typing in a program and seeing it work. Very motivational.
Since Python's syntax somewhat resembles pseudocode and it is actually a very powerful language and not just a teaching toy, I think it's great for teaching. Remember to include a very prominent link on your site that enables the visitor to download a python interpreter (should you decide on python, of course).

[sapo]

Well, I think pseudocode sucks. There is nothing more satisfying than typing in a program and seeing it work. Very motivational.

Thats the idea

So you guys think i should teach just python?

[pmasiar]

Hi guys, last week i started a blog and I'm posting a lesson per day teaching how to program. (...)

Is it confusing to try learning 2 languages at once? Should i split the lessons and post one language a day or pick just one language to my blog?

1) I recommend to use just one language - for beginner, who is not able to see beyond syntax yet, two different ways to do same thing are confusing.

2) I agree with your choice of Python as first programming language for beginners. It is clean, easy to learn, so beginner is able to make something runnable with minimum of the pain.

3) I don't want to discourage from your blog but there are many excellent introductory books for Python. I am slowly creating a little wiki for Python learners: http://learnpydia.pbwiki.com/HowToStart . IMHO wiki is better suited to guide people throught the links than time-based blog (lates post on top). IMHO, YMMV.

4) So at the present I don't see lack of introductory books - it is more lack of medium-hard problems for beginners to solve: not too simple as homework-style task are, and not real hard real-life problems yet. And I am collecting the tasks and link them from learnpydia wiki.

Of course, you can do whatever you want. You can try to make blog even better that Baldwin's or wikibook tutorial - but it will not be easy, they are really good. Good luck

[Note360]

Here is what you should do - Do it in series

eg A Python series, A C# series, A C++ series, etc

A series should contain any where from 5-40 lessons and then after that periodic "advanced" topics. Also, at the end every session come up with a few tasks for the person to try and do and then the next day post the answers to the tasks.

Edit: I looked through your blog and I like the C# lessons alot, though I ama level above beginner.

[sapo]

Thanx guys, i think I'll take off all the C# stuff and post explaining way, and maybe in a near future i can start some paralel C# lessons

Also there is a new lesson available there, but just Python now.

Thanx for your feedback

[Josh1]

Since I am starting to learn Python but I know alot about PHP etc, your blog is very neat. I have all the updates sync'd to my RSS client, awesome.

[Dygear]

Teach them basic logic.

if 1 is equal to 1 then do something.
In PHP, C, C++ that statement would look like this:

if (1 == 1) {
    // Do something
}

In this case, the do something part of the code would be ran, seeing as 1 is 1, and as such 1 is equal to 1, as such the `do something` part of our code is executed.

Just introduce them to concepts one at a time. Tell them why we use == (is equal) for comparing values and not just = (set equal to) by it's self. Then tell them about != (not equal) Then on your next post take it to the next level, and tell them how to use the && (and) modifer in if statements, and then || (or) and so on.

Also, keep your information current with best practices, I'm freaking tired of running across PHP websites about OOP that are very high in Google rank yet offer very little on the content side of things and why these things are this way. PHP and OOP have very little support, and that is really quite sad seeing as the ammout of power it gives to the programmer. Also, no one seems to have a clue that name spaces can be emulated in PHP in a very simple way.


Bottom line : Keep your **** current, baby steps are best, only introduce one concept at a time and K.I.S.S (Keep It Simple, Stupid!).

[jblebrun]

Perhaps a good idea would be to stick with one language in the main Blog thread (probably Python, as others have suggested). Then, as you get the time/desire, make "parallel" Blogs that take the same path, but using different languages. Of course, eventually the parallel threads would have to have unique posts that highlight features of that language, but in the beginning, the parallel threads can probably closely follow the main thread.

[sapo]

Teach them basic logic.

if 1 is equal to 1 then do something.
In PHP, C, C++ that statement would look like this:

if (1 == 1) {
    // Do something
}

In this case, the do something part of the code would be ran, seeing as 1 is 1, and as such 1 is equal to 1, as such the `do something` part of our code is executed.

Just introduce them to concepts one at a time. Tell them why we use == (is equal) for comparing values and not just = (set equal to) by it's self. Then tell them about != (not equal) Then on your next post take it to the next level, and tell them how to use the && (and) modifer in if statements, and then || (or) and so on.

Also, keep your information current with best practices, I'm freaking tired of running across PHP websites about OOP that are very high in Google rank yet offer very little on the content side of things and why these things are this way. PHP and OOP have very little support, and that is really quite sad seeing as the ammout of power it gives to the programmer. Also, no one seems to have a clue that name spaces can be emulated in PHP in a very simple way.


Bottom line : Keep your **** current, baby steps are best, only introduce one concept at a time and K.I.S.S (Keep It Simple, Stupid!).

That's the idea, i don't wanna rush everything, i m trying to introduce one thing per lesson, like in my previous lessons, one lesson was about variables, another about operators, the in the future I'm going to use the contents of these lessons, but for now I'm just trying to make people understand why, because I see a lot of tutorials about python and other languages out there, but the programmers who write them forget that not everyone that is reading know what he knows.

And also i m going to teach good practices too

[lnostdal]

Teach them basic logic.

if 1 is equal to 1 then do something.

I'm already hearing things like "Uh, but what's the point with that? Isn't 1 always equal 1?". Then later: "Uh, but what's the point in storing 1 in x? Couldn't I just type 1 instead of x?". x_x ...

True story btw ... I've gotten these kinds of questions a couple of times. Then later when explaining that `x' could represent Marios position on the screen as he move across it towards the right side, the young dead-on certain person that wanted to become a programmer "at all costs" just "left the room" ("What? I gotta type things too?" O_o) never to ask me or anyone else any programming questions again.