[Bluej-discuss] confusion over =

[Lon Levy]

Hi Lisa,

Good for them!!!  They have learned to think about what it means to have algebraic equality.  Of course it should be invalid and every primary school child ought to know why it should be invalid.  It is the students who don't view that line skeptically who I worry about.  Your students didn't need to miss the class, they have been taught conflicting information ... once from you and repeatedly over more than a dozen years from a considerable number of others.  They, in the long run, may be among your best students.

It is interesting that this is a confusing enough point that if students use '=' instead of '==' on the AP Computer Science Exam or vice versa, they are not penalized.

I made the comment that I wouldn't want to go back and code in APL.  On the other hand, I do like its assignment operator, the single character <- left arrow.  That is far clearer notation.

Regards,

Lon.

Lon Levy, MS-CSEd
Computer Science Teacher
Volunteer Computer Club Advisor
Oregon High School
608-835-1316
LXL at oregon.k12.wi.us
cs at levytree.net

non somnos requiem

>>> "Lisa Payne" <csx067 at coventry.ac.uk> 11/29/07 4:25 AM >>>
I regularly get students who think 
 
  p = p + 1;
 
is invalid, due to them viewing it algebraically.  I introduce the
assignment operator as meaning 'becomes equal to', which does help.  I
like to think that those who view such statements as being invalid
missed that class...