Quote:
Originally Posted by DonRotolo
I agree with project-based learning. It is the most effective.
The very first project, just so everyone understands the build/parse/compile/deploy/run cycle (or whatever it is called) would be to display "Hello World" on the screen.
I think every one of us has done this once.
Also, I applaud your decision to start with C++. Once you understand a language, the rest come easier. C++ is darn near universal. Also consider touching on plain old C (or BASIC?), just to see a non OOP language and to know such things exist.
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I will show them the "Hello World" application in plain C (printf) because it is much simpler than I/O streams in this concept.
I will go through the C++ basics before diving too deep. Using streams actually is quite complex in the background.
Most of the middle schoolers that I am working with already have ideas in mind with what they want to do. They range from simple problems like writing a disabled student aid program, up to programs, capable of calculating the height of an object by taking a picture of it with a phone (seems impossible because you only have the angles of the triangle, no sides)!
I do not think I will dive into game design too quickly because that requires
A) A lot of math
B) OpenGL and it's alternatives require a ton of pointers and stuff that I am not very fluent with