Easy C is useful to do 2 things. a) teach basic control flow and algorithmic processes. b) get a non-programmer started and through an FRC season.
If any of the following conditions are true, then you should be migrating to MPLab tools as soon as you can.
1) If you are going to major in engineering, computer science, or science.
2) If you need to do professional grade embedded programming.
One book that I like for teaching 'C' is the following:
http://www.amazon.com/Sams-Teach-You.../dp/0672324482
Note that it is NOT the 'C++' book but IS THE 'C' book of a very similar name.
Then you can download this from Microsoft:
http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/express/aa700735.aspx
It is the Visual C++ Express. For this educational experience you will NOT do c++ but c programs inside of Visual Express.
After installing Visual Express you should register it. It is free and easy.
Then go File->New->Project->WIN32 Console Application
Call your project 'demo' or whatever you like.
then do a Control-F5 and compile and run it.
Now you are ready to do a 'hello world' application, which starts on about page 29 of the book.
At some point you will need to master everything in the book in your college career.
But, there are several things that will not be done in an FRC controller, like calloc(), malloc(), disk I/O, probably not sorting/searching, linked lists.
Do your 21 days and then it will be time for the next step.