[Class Report] Introduction to System Development – Week 1: First Steps into Programming
A new school year has begun, and first-year high school students are starting their very first “System Development” class. The class is led by Mr. Tanaka, a professional in information technology. In Week 1, students were introduced to the world of programming with the theme: “What does it mean to give instructions to a computer?”
■ Teacher’s First Words: “Programming Is Not Magic”
“Does programming seem difficult to you? Actually, it’s just a way of telling the computer how you want it to behave. Once you get the hang of it, anyone can do it.”
With these words, the lesson began.
■ Lesson Content: Experiencing the Concept of ‘Giving Instructions’
Before writing any code, students took part in an activity designed to help them understand the concept of giving logical, step-by-step instructions.
▶ Activity: “Command the Robot to Reach the Goal”
Students paired up, with one acting as the “robot” and the other as the “commander.” The goal was to give precise instructions to help the “robot” navigate around obstacles on paper and reach the goal.
Student A: “Move forward three steps, turn right… oh no, it hit something!”
Student B: “Wait, I need to give more detailed instructions…”
Through this activity, students realized how important it is to give precise, logical instructions and that vague commands won’t work.
■ First Programming Experience: Talking to the Computer with print()
In the second half of the class, students moved on to using PCs and tried their first programming commands. They used Python’s print() function to display messages on the screen.
Mr. Tanaka: “Let’s read this code together: print("Hello"). This command tells the computer to display the word ‘Hello’.”
Student C: “Whoa, it really worked! That’s kind of amazing…”
Student D: “It works with just this? It’s simpler than I expected.”
■ A Word from the Teacher
“What you learned today may seem like a small step, but it’s the very first step toward building systems in the future. Programming is honest and straightforward—it only does exactly what you tell it to do. That’s why it naturally helps you develop logical thinking.”
■ Next Week’s Preview: Let’s Explore Variables and Calculations!
Next time, the theme will be “What is a variable?” Students will learn how to perform calculations in programs. Think of it as building your own calculator—enjoy the process!
System development classes nurture not only technical skills but also critical thinking. We’re excited to see how the first-year students will continue to grow!