Rookie Users: They need a Pathway Dean. Where to begin?

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Rauterkus
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Rookie Users: They need a Pathway Dean. Where to begin?

Post by Rauterkus » Sun Feb 28, 2016 3:45 am

The LiveCode Community has so many resources that I fear the rookie user to LiveCode is going to FREEZE.

Where do we send the rookies in the first 5 minutes? The A-B-Cs of LiveCode need to be easy, rewarding and fool-proof. Where do the rookies go in the first 20 minutes? Where do they go in the first hour? A fear would be an Introduction of LiveCode to dozens of kids and have a minority get frustrated, have them sour the group, and have the entire project go flat.

The tutorials, help sites, BYU lessons and other LiveCode introduction for end users, in this case, poor, urban, high school students in Pittsburgh, exist. However, I am not sure what is what and if it is good enough. I am not looking for a new creation. But, I am looking for guidance and pathways so that the newbie users are excited and plug forward. Distill. Refine. Curate the learning content so the kids have a smooth entry.

I'd LOVE to see some CLARITY and POINTERS and HELP for stringing together the pearls of LiveCode Rookie Experiences so advancements are made. Early support is critical, I feel. IMNSHO, the LC Community needs some type of honest faculty discussions. I might appreciate the naming or volunteering of an eventual "Dean" for teaching the teachers. What are the go-to resources to deploy on day 1? Who can help to insure that the learning the A-B-Cs of LiveCode, targeted at 14-year-old boys and girls, is without pitfalls, if not magical?

What is the best way to start?

Simon
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Re: Rookie Users: They need a Pathway Dean. Where to begin?

Post by Simon » Sun Feb 28, 2016 5:51 am

Hi Rauterkus,
I'm a bit confused by your posting
I am not looking for a new creation.
and
...the LC Community needs some type of honest faculty discussions. I might appreciate the naming or volunteering of an eventual "Dean" for teaching the teachers.
At the moment here in the forums we are helping, I believe, 3 students in the same class, they don't like to identify themselves as being associated but it's clear the task is the same and the timing of the requests are too similar.

There has been an on going discussion on whether we should just give the answers (winning) over guidance, what do you think?

If they are your students ask them to post what they have tried and make sure that they know they are not talking to other 14 year old's.

Ok a bit of a rant.

Simon
I used to be a newbie but then I learned how to spell teh correctly and now I'm a noob!

Rauterkus
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Re: Rookie Users: They need a Pathway Dean. Where to begin?

Post by Rauterkus » Sun Feb 28, 2016 5:12 pm

Hi,

Not my students. My project is just hatching. No students for me for months, I hope. But, I see where this might be a huge burden and cause a lot of noise, especially if we give 400 kids a push and pull to use LiveCode.

That goes to the root of the concern. How to scale upward and engage all the raw rookies without turning off the community nor the newbies.

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Re: Rookie Users: They need a Pathway Dean. Where to begin?

Post by jacque » Sun Feb 28, 2016 10:42 pm

Could this be of help? Devin has been teaching this course for years: http://livecode.byu.edu/indexgeneric.php

Slightly offtopic PS: If it is clear a posted question is from a student doing an assignment, I go for guidance only. Otherwise I'm a "give 'em the answer" type. But I won't do their assignments for them.
Jacqueline Landman Gay | jacque at hyperactivesw dot com
HyperActive Software | http://www.hyperactivesw.com

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Re: Rookie Users: They need a Pathway Dean. Where to begin?

Post by Newbie4 » Mon Feb 29, 2016 5:19 am

Rauterkus - I agree with you.
There needs to be an easy, simple path for students new to programming.
You are welcome to use some of my resources at https://sites.google.com/a/pgcps.org/livecode/ It is in a state of flux right now as I am update it with my latest modifications and additions. What is there, works and the students seem to enjoy it.

Look at some of their games http://erhs.shaosean.tk/ and apps https://sites.google.com/a/pgcps.org/li ... udent-apps and the examples in some of the lessons https://sites.google.com/a/pgcps.org/li ... lculations. Those all are a few years old but I hope to update them with newer (better) ones this summer break

I am constantly trying new approaches to find the best way to teach LiveCode. I will be rearranging it this summer as a result of this year's work.
I welcome any new suggestions and ideas.
Thanks
Cyril Pruszko
https://sites.google.com/a/pgcps.org/livecode/
https://sites.google.com/a/setonhs.org/app-and-game-workshop/home
https://learntolivecode.com/

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