https://www.lostlanguageofthemachines.com/
A novel that teaches kids computer science priciples.
cross-posted from: https://lemmy.smeargle.fans/post/149917
I read your comment before I could open the link, and now that I'd read a little past the chat-format part into chapter two, this spawn definitely smells of AI spunk. My nagging feeling reading it was - Iiiii'm pretty sure this author's never tried to teach before.
First giveaway for me was the sudden change in artstyles for the "projected slides". Also, for the first cat pic, why tf is there a bending-protected cord dangling from a wall switch? Tf?
So many adjectives used too, I bet, to give that futuristic feel, but overused, unnecessary. What the fuck is clear carbon fiber? No really, is that even real? And why do you need to describe people's desks or seats that way, when it would've been more effective to make a picture of the classroom than to detract from the learning material with a mystery virus that took out the professor just to needlessly bring in a sub? Was there going to be some plot twist? Is there a story?
And who tf thought that starting with binary was a great idea to introduce kids to computers/programming? Who tf thinks they'd convince someone who knows nothing about computers that binary is cool or even immediately useful?
I scrolled further and saw Darth Vader fighting Luke Skywalker. End rant, or else AI will give me cancer.
Scam author is trying to scam people with AI generated book.
Teach kids programming by making games with them. Find a random simple to make 'one tap, easy to control but hard to master game' like flappy bird.etc on playstore. Try remaking the game with the kid.
Yup, that's what I did.
We started with scratch and made a very simple game (asteroids-like). My kid then wanted to make a platformer, so I built a basic one for them and let them add stuff. It was kinda crappy and janky, so I found a template on Godot and removed a bunch of stuff to get what they wanted.
Boom, a couple hours of effort from my end they're building maps with the included tileset. They feel empowered without feeling overwhelmed.
They still don't know how to make a game (they're 10 and 7 respectively), but they have interest and may be willing to learn this summer.
So do that. If you're stuck, watch a few YouTube videos about first projects and follow along until you're ready to do it with your child.
I didn't read any of it, but I see that it's a chapter book with references to profanity (a character says a word that is all punctuation e.g $*#&!). So it must be aimed at older kids.
What's the target reading age for the book?
Also, thanks for sharing!