If You Wish to Learn ES6 - 2015 from Scratch, You Must First Invent the Universe

Explore the challenges and opportunities of teaching JavaScript's evolving syntax in this 26-minute JSConf talk by Ashley Williams. Delve into the impact of ES6/2015's increased abstraction on beginner accessibility, drawing insights from humanities and CS education research. Examine the paradox of abstraction as both a powerful tool for experts and a potential obstacle for newcomers. Investigate the interdisciplinary approach to teaching programming concepts, bridging the gap between computer science and humanities. Learn how to rethink JavaScript education in light of language-level abstractions, fostering creativity and critical thinking skills. Gain valuable perspectives on developing effective teaching methods for programming languages and abstractions across various domains.

Intro
Abstraction
Where do we start
What is the problem
Syntax makes me queasy
All models are wrong
What is a class
Teaching concepts
Programming languages are tools
Creative extension principle
Thinking