How do we learn?

This talk focuses on two major ways people learn to program: 

Building-Block Learning and Explorative Learning

print("Hello World")

Learning from Building Blocks

What I think of for traditional class-room/tutorial type teaching. The student learns the basics of:

• variables
• data structures
• control structures
• design patterns

And along the way students build

cool stuff and become programming gurus 

Explorative Learning

(main take-away for this talk)

Explorative learning is what I think of when a student gets something functioning and tinkers to learn how it works

Explorative Learning

My love of programming grew out of exploration 

case: I started really programming by 

modifying SPECTRE (Fortan77), software used for astronomy

case: I also learned by taking html/css and modifying pieces until it looked how I wanted

case: How about you?

       (queue audience interaction)

Explorative Learning

Benefits of this type of learning include:

• seeing a working example
• the ability can focus on structure 
• different way to learn relationships of the building-blocks
• learn about another developer's thought process and creativity

With Explorative Learning in mind

let's talk about Pyglet

What is Pyglet?

Pyglet is a python interface for creating games across Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux using OpenGL

• renders graphics
• plays sounds
• controls game update loop
• handles sprite/object interactions
• handles signals from keyboard/mouse

Why Pyglet?

Library choices for making games in python:

• Pyglet : cleanest interface and easy to install but small community
• Pygame : probably largest community, most examples but not simple to get started
• Panda3D : Optimized for 3D games but has steep learning curve
• Blender : an open-source 3D modeling tool with a Python-scriptable game engine

I chose pyglet for this tutorial because it is easy to get running and I wanted to increase the number of examples for it

Pyglet Projects

I started a git repo of simple games using pyglet

github.com/astrodsg/pyglet_projects

It contains working projects which can be explored and also spun off into their own repos

|- pyglet_projects/
    |- README.md
    |- spinoff_projects.md
    |- projects/
        |- asteroids/
        |- mind_sweeper_basic/
        |- snake_with_basic/

Pyglet Projects: Snake

I implemented a version of the classic game: snake

cd projects/snake_basic
python3 run.py

Step 1 of exploration is to just see what it does and how it behaves

Step 2 is to open it up and tinker

(show and tell time)

Pyglet Projects: Snake

Step 1 of exploration is to just see what it does and how it behaves

Step 2 is to open it up and tinker

Modification examples:

• changing colors
• change game speed
• change board size
• make snake invincible
• can I make the snake go diagonal?

Pyglet Projects: Mine-sweeper

Step 1 of exploration is to just see what it does and how it behaves

Step 2 is to open it up and tinker

Modification examples:

• changing colors
• show all bombs

Pyglet Projects: Asteroids

Step 1 of exploration is to just see what it does and how it behaves

Step 2 is to open it up and tinker

Modification examples:

• Rapid fire mode
• Asteroid rotation speed
• Add sounds

Credit for Asteroids goes to Steve Johnson and his pyglet tutorial 

Explorative learning should accompany building-blocks learning for when teaching programming

Pyglet projects is an explorative learning resource for both students and teachers

github.com/astrodsg/pyglet_projects

Thank You!

Explorative learning should accompany building-blocks learning for when teaching programming

Pyglet projects is an explorative learning resource for both students and teachers

github.com/astrodsg/pyglet_projects

Dylan Gregersen

astrodsg.github.io