Simon Peyton Jones

[Simon Peyton Jones @simonpj0]

After 23 years at Microsoft Research it is time for me to move on. I shall be leaving MSR at the end of November.

I do not yet know exactly what comes next. I’m sure I will continue my work with Haskell and GHC, and in computing education, but I’m also looking for new horizons.

[Simon Peyton Jones @simonpj0]

@mrbartonmaths @caschat_uk @HelloEedi @rob_leeman @ArmEducation @TigWilliams Tell us more, Craig! Why is it the easiest? How do you go about it? (Esp: how do you persuade children and parents that this is formative, not high stress jump the bar testing)

[Simon Peyton Jones @simonpj0]

I'm delighted that Excel now supports first-class, lexically scoped lambda-expressions. Excel just became a Turing-complete programming language!
https://t.co/DNWmMN6g6b

[Simon Peyton Jones @simonpj0]

Before this evening my ratio of followers to tweets was ~2000. (Not hard if you only have one tweet.) Now that ratio is much, much lower :-). #caschat

[Simon Peyton Jones @simonpj0]

@teknoteacher It's been lots of fun -- thank you! #caschat

[Simon Peyton Jones @simonpj0]

Textbooks anyone? Or is that so last century? Joking aside, I genuinely want to know if you find textbooks useful, and in what ways. #caschat

[Simon Peyton Jones @simonpj0]

A4: try Project Quantum (a CAS project) https://t.co/Eb4tL9fze8 Using crowd-sourced MCQs (many written by CAS members) to reduce workload, improve learning. (I'm biased: I helped launch Quantum. But I think it could be *amazing*.)
#caschat

[Simon Peyton Jones @simonpj0]

@Mr_G_ICT @Vanderpere @caschat_uk "we still have a bias that "computing is easy"". Spot on. Art is not easy. Music is not easy. Physics is not easy. Fashion is not easy. That's why they are so rich, fascinating, multi-facted, creative -- so full of the glory of what human beings can do when they try hard.

[Simon Peyton Jones @simonpj0]

@Vanderpere @caschat_uk Interesing... can you say a bit more Katie? What do you mean by "properly academic subject with no gimmicks"? #caschat

[Simon Peyton Jones @simonpj0]

@binarygenius Pedagogy -- yes! NCCE is, I think, about to release two online courses about pedagogy, one primary, one secondary

[Simon Peyton Jones @simonpj0]

Sub-Q1: how do can the Hubs reach out beyond the "early adopters"? Computing is for everyone, every child, every school. #caschat

[Simon Peyton Jones @simonpj0]

Extra curricular... I had coffee today with Ed Cervantes-Watson of the amaxing First Tech Challenge https://t.co/nC39tCS83y Inspiring! #caschat

[Simon Peyton Jones @simonpj0]

A2: find genuinely clever CS ideas that do something amazing, and share them. Eg simulated annealing to solve the travelling salesman problem. So simple, so effective, so visual. (But then I’m a geek.) #caschat

[Simon Peyton Jones @simonpj0]

A2: Enthusiasm expands minds. I’m not a teacher, but I’ve seen entire audiences open up to a speaker who conveys a genuine sense of passion and engagement. #caschat

[Simon Peyton Jones @simonpj0]

@whaleygeek @MsBClarke I have often wondered that too. I think it's a super-helpful context to debate, discuss, support, share

[Simon Peyton Jones @simonpj0]

Welcome to this #caschat. Do please introduce yourselves, and perhaps add what has been the biggest firework bang for you in your computing classroom this week. #caschat

[Simon Peyton Jones @simonpj0]

@TeachAllAboutIT Less lonely now?

[Simon Peyton Jones @simonpj0]

PS by "local support" also talk about your interaction with IT professionals and companies. I am giving a talk to 350 sorftware developers on Thursday. Subject: how can *they* help *you*. https://t.co/g5EqpZa2T7 #caschat

[Simon Peyton Jones @simonpj0]

You guys are the stars of the show. I was so proud to present certificates at the NCCE graduation event recently. #caschat

[Simon Peyton Jones @simonpj0]

I’m Twitter-illiterate, so I’m excited to tell you that this is my second tweet *ever*. #caschat