db@cstvax.UUCP (03/06/86)
In article <4360@ut-sally.UUCP> ark@sally.UUCP (Arthur M. Keller) writes: >The main issue appears to be that if you restrict yourself >to the features of Pascal when teaching Ada, what's wrong with using >Ada syntax and an Ada compiler? Pascal can run on lots of >environments rather efficiently. Pascal is a simple yet powerful language. Several articles by Soloway, Bonar, Erlich & co. suggest that the ability to break out of a loop makes learning to program much easier. For example, See CACM vol 26 (1983) pp853-860. Standard PASCAL doesn't have this feature. If you want efficient compilers & a simple language, I'd suggest Modula-2. This also has the advantages of defined string-handling, modules & separate compilation, instaed of the various ad-hoc hacks to PASCAL to make it a halfway reasonable programming language. I can't remember if Modula-2 has a break statement. If not, I guess ADA should be considered. -- Dave Berry. CS postgrad, Univ. of Edinburgh ...mcvax!ukc!cstvax!db
db@cstvax.UUCP (03/06/86)
In article <4360@ut-sally.UUCP> ark@sally.UUCP (Arthur M. Keller) writes: >Pascal is a simple yet powerful language. It has >most of the features you would want to use when teaching intro CS and >programming using the Algol-based language paradigm. I've been convinced by some people around here that imperative languages don't make the best introductory languages for CS (although obviously they must be taught eventually). The reason is that 'declarative' languages use variables in a way closely to their use in maths and logic. Hence students will get used to using them this way, and won't find the first encroachments of CS theory into their curriculum so strange. Certainly talking to students around here I get the impression they would find it easier to learn ML first & then switch to PASCAL, rather than the other way round as at present. Our department is considering teaching Scheme to first-years (if we can get the resources to do it, etc.) -- Dave Berry. CS postgrad, Univ. of Edinburgh ...mcvax!ukc!cstvax!db