A critical view of SICP and rationale for HtDP • Hacker News Board

Re: A critical view of SICP and rationale for HtDP

#11

Post by solarmist » Thu, May 19, 2011, 5:17 PM UTC

noahl wrote: post #6

This article is mostly good, especially the second half. But their goals are wrong. >The primary goal of a computing curriculum is to produce programmers and software engineers. After all, most of its graduates accept industry positions and produce software. Many will stay involved with software production for a long times, even if only as managers, and therefore also need to learn to adapt to the everevolving nature…

I think they're advocating the same thing as you just saying it differently. How to design good software in an ideal environment. And to learn industrial practices later on; to begin with only good industrial practices then later on ones that might conflict with good software design, etc.

Re: A critical view of SICP and rationale for HtDP

#12

Post by solarmist » Thu, May 19, 2011, 5:20 PM UTC

I think this paper makes a good point. I know I personally wouldn't have been ready for SICP had I studied it as a freshman. There's too much assumed domain knowledge in the exercises and too much assumed design knowledge in the sections, but after mastering the basics and coming to SICP I'm really excited about what it offers and I'm working though it as much as I can. (Which isn't going nearly fast enough. :P )

Re: A critical view of SICP and rationale for HtDP

#13

Post by bricestacey » Thu, May 19, 2011, 5:37 PM UTC

I enjoyed SICP, but the class teaching it was miserable. I read it in my 3rd year of college and found the text excellent. The professors on the other hand acted like baboons.

The professor taught the course almost as a magician demonstrating a a magic trick and expecting the audience to recognize how it was done. We all knew it was magic, but few of us saw how it was done. Yet, the professor could do little but grin at how remarkable a trick it was. I think if SICP were taught as if everyone in the class didn't know anything about programming, it'd go better. But it seems like professors focus too much on how awesome it is and less on teaching.

Also, each semester my advisor always asks me about how I liked scheme when he sees that I got an A in the course, almost like it's some special club to be in.

For people that don't catch on to SICP quickly, it's a very hostile learning environment to be in.