Comments on: Should learners be learning intro to Javascript? http://liveandletlearn.net/should-learners-be-learning-intro-to-javascript/ Living and learning for life Fri, 11 Feb 2011 07:29:53 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Michael http://liveandletlearn.net/should-learners-be-learning-intro-to-javascript/comment-page-1/#comment-2434 Michael Wed, 15 Nov 2006 03:59:15 +0000 http://liveandletlearn.net/should-learners-be-learning-intro-to-javascript/#comment-2434 It would... it was a computer science degree. But it's a 1 year course where Javascript (the only programming therein) is one unit out of 25... I don't think the course is meant to give people a background in computer programming - just a few skills using Javascript so that when, as a Web Designer, they have to plug in some script, they know their way around to do so... but then the <a href="http://210.9.70.37/cgi-bin/waxhtml/~ntis2/unit.wxh?page=80&inputRef=36343" rel="nofollow">actual requirements of the unit</a> go way beyond that to write your own code to fulfil client requirements. So the unit assumes (in my view) that the learner can already program... It would… it was a computer science degree. But it’s a 1 year course where Javascript (the only programming therein) is one unit out of 25…

I don’t think the course is meant to give people a background in computer programming – just a few skills using Javascript so that when, as a Web Designer, they have to plug in some script, they know their way around to do so… but then the actual requirements of the unit go way beyond that to write your own code to fulfil client requirements. So the unit assumes (in my view) that the learner can already program…

]]> By: Simmo http://liveandletlearn.net/should-learners-be-learning-intro-to-javascript/comment-page-1/#comment-2433 Simmo Wed, 15 Nov 2006 03:24:55 +0000 http://liveandletlearn.net/should-learners-be-learning-intro-to-javascript/#comment-2433 I don't know much about the course but wouldn't it be better to start with a more highly typed language? I don’t know much about the course but wouldn’t it be better to start with a more highly typed language?

]]> By: Michael http://liveandletlearn.net/should-learners-be-learning-intro-to-javascript/comment-page-1/#comment-2432 Michael Wed, 15 Nov 2006 03:20:43 +0000 http://liveandletlearn.net/should-learners-be-learning-intro-to-javascript/#comment-2432 Yeah, this has come up quite a few times this year, and most people in our course feel the same way... But the <a href="http://en.wikiversity.org/wiki/Web_Design/Qualifications/Cert_IV_Websites_Australia" rel="nofollow">new qualification</a> we've got includes "client side script" as part of the Cert IV course, whereas server-side stuff is in the Diploma... Another example of the training package being a bit behind the times (a few years ago when JS meant image rollovers etc, it was fine). Maybe one way around it is to use PHP to introduce people to programming... but I'm not sure about that either... needs to be something fun and visual. People seem mixed with <a href="http://alice.org" rel="nofollow">Alice</a> (well, lots hate it :( ). I think you're right Adam - perhaps we should use PHP as the first programming language - even if it means going against the grain of the training package a bit...? Yeah, this has come up quite a few times this year, and most people in our course feel the same way… But the new qualification we’ve got includes “client side script” as part of the Cert IV course, whereas server-side stuff is in the Diploma…

Another example of the training package being a bit behind the times (a few years ago when JS meant image rollovers etc, it was fine).

Maybe one way around it is to use PHP to introduce people to programming… but I’m not sure about that either… needs to be something fun and visual. People seem mixed with Alice (well, lots hate it :( ). I think you’re right Adam – perhaps we should use PHP as the first programming language – even if it means going against the grain of the training package a bit…?

]]> By: Simmo http://liveandletlearn.net/should-learners-be-learning-intro-to-javascript/comment-page-1/#comment-2431 Simmo Wed, 15 Nov 2006 02:47:12 +0000 http://liveandletlearn.net/should-learners-be-learning-intro-to-javascript/#comment-2431 I totally agree. JavaScript is something thats very annoying sometimes and I reckon until you've covered programming concepts in general its a bad idea to let people use JavaScript. I totally agree. JavaScript is something thats very annoying sometimes and I reckon until you’ve covered programming concepts in general its a bad idea to let people use JavaScript.

]]> By: Adam http://liveandletlearn.net/should-learners-be-learning-intro-to-javascript/comment-page-1/#comment-2430 Adam Wed, 15 Nov 2006 02:30:08 +0000 http://liveandletlearn.net/should-learners-be-learning-intro-to-javascript/#comment-2430 I feel that PHP just makes more sense when learning web design. It's easier to get ones head around it because, at least at it's basic levels, PHP integrates more closely with HTML. With JavaScript, to do anything we need all that strange DOM stuff, whereas with PHP we're still more-or-less using HTML, just with some extra codey bits. I feel that PHP just makes more sense when learning web design. It’s easier to get ones head around it because, at least at it’s basic levels, PHP integrates more closely with HTML. With JavaScript, to do anything we need all that strange DOM stuff, whereas with PHP we’re still more-or-less using HTML, just with some extra codey bits.

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