Feedback from GAP Tutorial at Groups St Andrews 2017 in Birmingham

Green notes:

• Most useful to help install GAP on my computer and get it working
• good example "average order" - good to work on real problem
• the sections on regression tests and the examples on small groups were very interesting!
• 1.Programming with GAP 2.Attributes and Methods 3.Using regression tests
• Storing/calling code; writing functions; differences between attributes/properties/etc. and how to set them on functions
• Variadic functions; attributes; testing
• General ideas, introductions, settings, help & information; was good do that to be independent sooner after reading further details. All is fine & perfect. Many thanks.
• Maybe start earlier for people with installation trouble or who lack any experience with programming
• Useful: learning how to get time a program takes; learning how to print information as the program is running; test files; access help in browser instead of GAP terminal
• Very useful course! Many examples of calculations in groups
• All examples were very useful and so clear
• Useful & new: test files
• small group searches
• functions
• How to run GAP
• very clear explanation; good structure and layout; at a good pace for me; at a good level for me. I learned a lot: representations matter, attributes, properties, info, etc.
• I practise more examples. This session help me how to create a function. Many thanks

Orange notes:

• Could be better: please make it clear which of the commands are not going to work on Windows before
• There was some technical problems in my computer, but we fixed it. Thanks
• Some parallel explanation for Windows users of the initial part would be good
• The start was too slow, too much time lost on trivial things that have little to do with the actual programming; Framapad should be used more, for example copying the code so people can see it when you switch between windows, etc.
• Might be better if have a precise code sheet that include exactly what you have done today so that to concentrate on understanding and thinking on the maths more than writing the programs.
• Attribute and operation were discussed too fastly (and after lot of stuff)
• Transition from small group search to attributes
• The TestOneOrderVariadic function was presented a bit too fast; I didn't understand the part about collection very well.
• Very quickly in general; not so clear in the last hour
• Some examples were fast - I can't applied it
• It was too advanced for me as I am using GAP for the first time
• Maybe more example for the section about attributes and methods; Is it possible to know how to calculate kernel of morphisms? Especially rep.; Calculate intersections, quotient. Thanks!
• "empty set" symbol

Reminders for next time:

• Warn in advance to bring laptops for live coding

• Try to bring some extra helpers

• It's indeed useful to have microphone

• Encourage people more to help each other and to use Etherpad actively

• GAP installation in advance - emphasise importance. Arriving at the workshop, learners should be able to start GAP

• Useful to have Windows VM locally or connect via remote desktop

• Prerequisite: Learners should know what "home directory" is. Knowledge of basic shell commands (mkdir, cd, ls, pwd) is an advantage.

• Maybe redisign the lesson in a way that it is enough just to start GAP at any location for the first episode? It should be explained how to start it in different operating system in more details ("Run bin/gap.sh script to start GAP" in GAP installation instructions is not clear to those who had never used the terminal). However, we still want to introduce LogTo later, and that requires understanding where that file will be created. Maybe LogTo can then be introduced before creating functions (e.g. prototype code interactively, then use LogTo file to convert it into a script with functions; or even later, when we create test file using LogTo, i.e. after the "Read" command). Otherwise "Getting started" requires starting GAP and calling some GAP functions, and learners don't even know yet how GAP syntax looks like, and any typo or syntax error will cause extra confusion.

• Revise TestOneOrderVariadic - still good to introduce Info and variadic functions, it should be shortened to make it more digestible.

• Switching to Jupyter may be very helpful: it will not require switching between text editor and GAP session (allow time to teach how to use Jupyter interface at the start, but then hopefully less time to set up working directory. Using "Read" still has to be taught, but could be introduced later. This may give a smoother pace at the start).