Scala First Lessons from 3 Student Generations

Explore a comprehensive analysis of teaching Scala as a first programming language at Lund University, spanning three student generations. Learn about the transition from Java to Scala, pedagogical approaches, course design, and assessment methods. Discover the challenges and successes of implementing Scala-first curriculum, including strategies for accommodating diverse student backgrounds and fostering playful learning in the initial weeks. Gain insights into the progression of Scala education and its future prospects at the university. Evaluate the benefits of Scala for beginner programmers and understand key ingredients for successful implementation in introductory programming courses.

Intro
Acknowledgements
Scala first lessons
History of first languages at Lund University
The Java first situation (2015)
Scala first-a big success!
How to teach programming with Scala?
Pedadogical ideas behind course design
A typical study week
How did we design contents & progression?
How did we deal with a very broad spectrum of pre-knowledge?
The first three weeks are playful
Continuous assessment: Lab sessions
Experiences with Scala first-Challenges
Key ingredients in our progression for Scala first
The future of Scala at Lund University
Scal: A better deal for beginner programmers?