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What's the dumbest reason you've learned a programming language? (programming.dev)
submitted 2 years ago by to c/programming@programming.dev
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[–] 1 point 2 years ago (3 children)

P.S. the students aren't going to have any tests where it matters until Year 10, and the curriculum even says that at least 2 languages must be taught (in my case we chose HTML as the second language, because...), and so even though many teachers would like to teach their students C#, the schools simply aren't LETTING them do that. They don't want the admin overhead that comes with teaching C#, so it's Python and.... nope, it's just Python (and so then you have teachers opting for a second language like HTML, cos they can't get their school/faculty to buy-in on teaching C#, simply because they don't want the admin that comes with it. The fact that it's a better language to learn isn't even considered).

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  • [–] 1 point 2 years ago (2 children)

    Is the fact that C# produced executables also a problem? With python you can 'protect' non lab computers at the school by just not installing the python runtime on them. Teach them c# and I guarantee they will be making executables to cause trouble.

    Generally agree with you that teachers should be able to choose at least one of the languages to teach. basic web dev stuff is probably pretty useful to them though if it includes JavaScript?

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  • [–] 1 point 2 years ago (1 child)

    Is the fact that C# produced executables also a problem?

    Trust me, the conversation never even gets that far.

    just not installing the python runtime on them

    We weren't! We were using repl.it (or something very similar). I don't know what the story was at other schools, other than many other teachers also wanted C# but had to do Python (it was when I came across this that I finally accepted defeat in trying to get another language in instead of Python. I wanted to start with Pascal and then do C#. In the end I had to do HTML and Python. i.e. the status quo).

    Generally agree with you that teachers should be able to choose at least one of the languages to teach.

    We're supposed to be able to choose both languages, but school admins are taking away one of our choices.

    if it includes JavaScript?

    I wouldn't do that at the same time as HTML - maybe later, separately. As I've said, as teachers we only teach one concept at a time.

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  • [–] 1 point 2 years ago

    P.S.

    teach them c# and I guarantee they will be making executables to cause trouble

    No, you're overestimating the students ability. I taught C# in coding club (they were mostly around Year 8), and it was a struggle just getting them to understand basic programming concepts (imagine having to explain MVVM to them - they're not good at understanding abstraction) - they wouldn't have had a clue how to turn it into a malicious exe.

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