Pedagogy of Teaching Programming

Pedagogy realted

0. Big Picture#

Language choice : Python vs. JavaScript#

• may be JS is better in 2022 than python, as web became dominant programming platform
• let us use Mozilla JS Guide here
• Online compilers : we need PURE JS compiler with out HTML/React embeded since we are teaching Javascript language, not WebDevelopment.
• programirz JS - It is exeuting on Server and sending results back.
• penEditor
• we have other Pure JS editror saved in github .. They behave like above Programirz, see we saved those github repo names in Notion Notes.

1. Basic concepts#

It is like Math word problems:#

• how you solve math word problems . A room has lenth of 10 feet and width as 8 feet, wheat is the area of the Room.

length = 10 feet
  width = 8 feet
  area = lenth * width
  area = 10 * 8
  area = 80 square feet

  volume = lenth * width * height  // what happends if you do math this way

• we do same in computer programming
• Memory box concept
• explain about area problem with memory box . A memory box has a storage and Lable, Lable is the name how you remember what is stored in it.

2. Control Flow realted Problems#

IF ELSE#

1. find the SMALLEST of two numbers

// which one of these two you like and why ?

// -----------------------
def smallest_of(a,b):

  if (a < b )
    smallest = a
  else:
    smallest = b
    
  return smallest

// -----------------------
def smallest_of(a,b):

  smallet = a
  if (b < smallest )
    smallest = b
    
  return smallest

1. find the SMALLEST of three numbers ( same logic goes for Biggest )

def smallest_of(a,b,c):
  smallet = a

  if (( b < smallest) and ( b < c))
    smallest = b
 else:
    smallest = c
    
  return smallest

Low Cyclometric complexity ( Low CC is better )

smallet = a
  if ( b < smallest)
    smallest = b
    
  if ( c < smallest)
    smallest = c

def min_of(a,b):
  min = a
  if ( b < a)
    min = b
  
  return min
  
  #--------------
  def smallest_of(a,b,c):
    return min_of(min_of(a,b), c)

3. Loops n Variations#

• got from old repo masgterylearn/pedagory
• see other sample program code in masterlearn/pedagory folder

simple loops#

Note : a) when building on top of peers problem, have student do OTHER way ( if original is WHile , modify it to FOR and vice versa )

Type 1: While Loop , two Loop conditions, how to split them, FOR and While interchange

Type 2: asking user input in a loop

0. Simple While loop is

# calculate sum of numbers 1 to N ( first give with out List)
number = 6
sum = 0
current_number = 1
while (current_number <= number):    
    sum = sum + current_number
    current_number = current_number + 1
    
print(sum)

# calculate and return the SUM of the all the elements in a given List
def calculate_sum(list):
  index = 0
  sum = 0
  length = len(list)
  
  while (index < length):
    sum = sum + list[index]
    index = index + 1
    
   return sum

1. Now, we want to calculate SUM of first N elements in the List, not all the elements of the List

// calculate and return the SUM of the First K elements in a given List
def calculate_sum(first_k, list):
  index = 0
  sum = 0
  length = len(list)
  
  while (index < length):   # O(n)
    if (index < n_elements):
      sum = sum + list[index]
      
    index = index + 1
    
  return sum

2. now combining the condition of While loop, Time Complexity is reduced to O( small_of(n,first_k) )

while ((index < length) and (index < first_k)): # O( small_of(n,first_k) )
     sum = sum + list[index]
      
     index = index + 1

3. now combining in the condition of While loop with Break statement

# two conditios in WHILE Loop ( in above problem) are broken into sequence of two Separate conditions
 while (index < length):
    if (index >= first_k): #  O( small_of(n,first_k) ) 
      break
     
    sum = sum + list[index]
    index = index + 1

4. using FOR Loop and Break

for num in list: 
    if (index >= first_k): #  O( small_of(n,first_k) ) 
      break
     
    sum = sum + num
    index = index + 1

5. using infinite loop

we need ASK students to write each problem at least 3 differnt ways, why? : that is how student Mental FOG is removed and the NURON conections are Strengthed. I saw same approach of TWO different ways solving MATH problem in COMMON CORE text books.

while (True):
    if (index >= first_k): #  O( small_of(n,first_k) ) 
      break
     
    sum = sum + num
    index = index + 1

4.using Booleans#

created date : 3/3/2022

simple Booleans#

• you are spending on day1 10 , day2 20 , day3 10 , day4 20 repeteldy till your pocket money is out
• write function to print day #, spent, remaining money
• use boolean

3 day pattern spenindg#

• same as above with chane day1, day2, day3 : 10,20,30 and it repeats

def pocketmoney(amout):

  spend = [ 10, 20 ,30]
  daycycle = 1
  day = 1
  balance = amout
  while ( balance > 0):
    todayspending = spend[dayclycle]
    balance = balance - todayspending
    if balance < 0:
        break

    print(day, todayspending, balance)
    day++
    if daycycle == 3:
        daycycle = 1  // reset
    else:
        dayclycle++   // increment

odd even sum#

• write a function to print total sums of even and odd numbers from 1 to N

def oddevensum(n):
    // print oddsum , evensum

    oddsum, evensum = 0,0
    i = 1 ;
    oddelement = true
    while ( i <= n):    // no FOr loops in first one month of coding :-)
        if (oddelement):
          oddsum += i
        else: 
          evensum += i

        oddelement = !oddelemet  // toggle each time
        i++ 

    print here ///

  // ---------- main program 
  oddevensum(10)

Chess Tournment scores#

• Leaners needs to understand how to apply the concepts of Boolean in a program code, here is a way
• Problem statement : Anna and Bob played a chess tournament consisting of 5 games. Design your data structure and write a program to print 'Winner'
• Here learner needs to think and comeup with his own data structure of INPUT data.

def showwinner (gamedata):
    // print <Anna/Bob> is Winner  or Game is draw

    scorelist = gamedata[1]
    len = len(scorelist)
    annatotal, bobtotal = 0,0
    i = 0 ;
    oddelement = true
    while ( i < len):
        if (oddelement):
          annatotal += scorelist[i]
        else: 
          bobtotal += scorelist[i]

        oddelement = !oddelemet  // toggle each time
        i++ 

    str1 = 'Tournment is draw '
    str2 ]= ' with scores at Anna: Bob {} : {}', 
    if annatotal == bobtotal :
      print( str1 + str2 )
    elseif annatotal > bobtotal :
      print( 'Tournement Winner is Anna,' + s2 )
    else:
      print( 'Tournement Winner is Bob,' + s2 )


  // main program 
  gamedata = [ ['Anna', 'Bob'] , [ 1,0, 0,1, 0.5,0.5, 1,0, 0.5, 0.5 ]
  showwinner(gamedata)

different ways of representing data#

• ask students to disign data structure in multiple ways for the same Chess problem
• ask to write what are the Pros and cons of each method

- [ ['Anna', 'Bob'] , [ 1,0, 0,1, 0.5,0.5, 1,0, 0.5, 0.5 ]
 - [ ['Anna', 'Bob'] , [ [1,0], [0,1], [0.5,0.5], [1,0], [0.5, 0.5] ]
- [ 'Anna', 'Bob', 1,0, 0,1, 0.5,0.5, 1,0, 0.5, 0.5 ]
- [ Anna, Bob, 1,0, 0,1, 0.5,0.5, 1,0, 0.5, 0.5 ]   // no quotes Tournement volunteers just do basic data entry
- { ['Anna', 'Bob'], [1,0, 0,1, 0.5,0.5, 1,0, 0.5, 0.5] } 
-{ {'Anna' : [1,0, 0,1, 0.5] }, {'Bob': [0.5, 1,0, 0.5, 0.5] } }

popular movie based on user rating#

• a class gave their rating for movies students saw in last 6 months, print the top 3 popular movies
• ask student to comeup with data structure
• one such format is a flat file ( like Gitu UCSC assignment)

'super man' 
5
'bat man'
4
'super man'
4
'movana' 
6