[Caml-list] Teaching with Caml

[Geoff Wozniak <geoff@wozniak.ca>]

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Vee Satayamas writes:
 > 
 > I'm interested in using Caml as the first language to teach student.
 > What is your opinion? Is there any place use Caml as the first language
 > in programming course.
 > 

I taught a third year programming languages course using OCaml as the
primary language, although I didn't go into anything that is beyond Caml
Light.

I will say that it was not well received, at first, since the background of
most students was C/C++/Java.  Like any class, some students didn't care,
some actively hated it and other accepted it.  By the end, I would say it
was generally well accepted, however, I doubt many continued to use it
after the course.

I think OCaml can work as a first language, especially since it accomodates
both functional and imperative styles.  My students had trouble with the
functional aspects (such as functions as first-class values) due to two
years of working in imperative languages.  I recommend focusing on the
functional style, myself :)

- -- 
Geoff(rey) Wozniak, PhD Candidate
University of Western Ontario
Computer Science Department
London, Ontario, Canada
http://wozniak.ca/

He who knows best knows how little he knows.
                             -- Benjamin Franklin

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