| 1 | Random Ideas for Python Training |
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| 2 | ================================ |
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| 3 | |
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| 4 | At the end of the meeting there was a lively discussion around how to |
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| 5 | fill the gap in available Python training in Cape Town. |
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| 6 | |
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| 7 | Background |
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| 8 | ---------- |
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| 9 | |
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| 10 | Three or four companies have approached CTPUG members about where to |
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| 11 | find training for Python developers in Cape Town, especially the |
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| 12 | training of junior and mid-level developers. |
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| 13 | |
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| 14 | Discussion |
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| 15 | ---------- |
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| 16 | |
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| 17 | * Providing manpower from within CTPUG doesn't work: |
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| 18 | * Core CTPUG members just don't have the time and inclination to |
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| 19 | spend two weeks training people and providing professional |
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| 20 | follow-up. |
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| 21 | |
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| 22 | * Can we provide infrastructure instead of manpower? |
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| 23 | * Could we host mentorship evenings? |
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| 24 | * Could we host Python hacker evenings? |
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| 25 | * Could we provide teaching materials? |
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| 26 | * What topics need to be covered? |
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| 27 | * Evaluation is important. |
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| 28 | |
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| 29 | * Topics: |
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| 30 | * Material can be generated from a list of topics. |
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| 31 | * There needs to be a way for students to ask questions and get help. |
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| 32 | * There need to be exercises and problems learners can work through: |
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| 33 | * Programmatic evaluation of solutions is a good first step (it |
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| 34 | allows learners to know whether they've implemented the right |
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| 35 | thing). |
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| 36 | * Certification or assurances for non-learners requires a |
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| 37 | experienced Python person to read the solutions. |
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| 38 | * Development environment: |
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| 39 | * It valuable for junior developers to see how experienced |
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| 40 | developers work. |
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| 41 | * Ruby Koans for Python. |
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| 42 | |
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| 43 | * Local PyCON? |
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| 44 | * There was lots of enthusiasm for this. |
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| 45 | |
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| 46 | * Training of junior developers needs to focus on the core libraries |
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| 47 | they're using (in addition to core Python). Areas that people who |
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| 48 | want courses need help with include: |
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| 49 | * Web (especially Django) |
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| 50 | * Scientific (NumPy and SciPy) |
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| 51 | |
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| 52 | * Practical development topics: |
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| 53 | * How you should work in Python. |
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| 54 | * Best practice development environments (virtualenv, unittests, |
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| 55 | continuous integration). |
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| 56 | * IDE? |
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| 57 | * Deployment and packaging. |
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| 58 | |
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| 59 | * Hijack a non-Python training course person or company. |
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| 60 | * Offer to upskill them in Python if necessary. |
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| 61 | * This was probably the best concrete suggestion to come out of the |
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| 62 | discussion. |
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| 63 | * Who should we approach? Any recommendations? |
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