Python Escapes Classroom (O'Reilly) [LWN.net]

Stephen Figgins writes about the use of Python in education on O'Reilly's ONLamp.com site. "PyKarel is a Python implementation of Karel the Robot. Introduced in the 80's, Karel was intended to jump-start students in the Pascal programming language. A virtual robot moves about a maze, interacting with walls and beepers, performing programmed tasks. It has a Pascal-like structure, but only five commands: move, turn left, pick beeper, put beeper, turn off. There are 18 or so conditionals that are mostly repetitious "if facing north", or "if facing south." There are no variables. Karel's virtue is in being both visual and simple."

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