Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!bellcore!rutgers!att!pacbell.com!ucsd!ucbvax!dewey.soe.berkeley.edu!thom From: thom@dewey.soe.berkeley.edu (Thom Gillespie) Newsgroups: comp.edu Subject: Re: programming for math credit - rational Message-ID: <39882@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU> Date: 4 Dec 90 05:57:52 GMT References: <15404@cs.utexas.edu> Sender: usenet@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU Reply-To: thom@dewey.soe.berkeley.edu.UUCP (Thom Gillespie) Organization: School of Education, UC-Berkeley Lines: 33 In article <15404@cs.utexas.edu> turpin@cs.utexas.edu (Russell Turpin) writes: >----- >In article freewill@nstar.UUCP (Bill Williston) writes: >> The english dept. head was not against the idea of word >> processing, etc for english credit. ... > >Get her or him fired! Don't misunderstand me. Unlike a... > >> ... The math dept. head was immediately and adamantly against >> computer programming for math credit. > >Very few high school programming courses teach any mathematics... I guess my objection to this discussion is that I view computing and all it encompasses as "media" rather than math or english. As media I think the kids should be exposed to it at all levels from the Muppets Keyboard on up. There used to be a concept " reading in the content area" which meant that reading ( and writing ) was not 'just a subject' -- it was more important and 'all' the classes should expect and foster development skills in reading and writing. To me, the same problem exists with all these boxes such as 'english' and matematics not having room for programming ( word processing, graphics, midi, etc). All the discussion treats programming ( word processing, graphics,midi, etc) as 'driver training', something which can be taken just before voting age and all will be honky-dorey. The problem is the 'little boxes' most educators put learning in, such as mathematics, history, english ... programming. Learning doesn't occur in that fashion ... only education. If programming is 'media' than it is important, because we breath media the way a fish breathes air. --Thom Gillespie Brought to you by Super Global Mega Corp .com