Python

    

 

 

    

    Python is a programming language that has become extremely popular in recent years. It is the second most used programming language on github, which is the largest repository of open source software on the internet. You may be asking what a programming language has to do with educational technology. The answer is that programming skills are in increasingly high demand, and it is also a great way to teach problem solving. Python specifically is a great candidate for teaching students programming due not only to its popularity but its simplicity.

    Python uses a simplified syntax that allows students to focus more on problem solving and less on looking for missing brackets and semicolons. Compare these two simple programs that write the string “Hello World!” to the console. The first is in C, and the Second is in Python:

C:

#include <stdio.h>

int main() {
   printf("Hello World!");
   return 0;
}

 
Python:

print("Hello, World!")

    The difference in complexity between these too programs in relatively small, but it adds up as a program becomes more complex. Another advantage for students is that Python is an interpreted language. This means that programs can be tested on the fly without being compiled first. This allows students to fix issues with their programs much faster. Interpreted languages are much less resource efficient than compiled ones, but high performance should not be an issue for students who are just getting started learning to program.

    Due to its popularity, Python also has a ton of learning resources already available. Just about any concept in programming has multiple tutorials dedicated to it, and almost every common issue has a thread on stack overflow explaining the solution.

    I think everyone, including people who don’t plan on being programmers, should at least dabble with Python. A little bit of python knowledge will enable you to turn a repetitive task that would otherwise take hours to do into a script that does the same thing in minutes. If you don’t know where to begin, I recommend the course from freecodecamp.org.