Computer Applications: Windows in Black Boxes; 'Economics: O
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| Publicado en: | Economic Inquiry vol. 28, no. 3 (Jul 1990), p. 638-639 |
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| Publicado: |
Western Economic Association
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| Materias: | |
| Acceso en línea: | Citation/Abstract Full Text - PDF |
| Etiquetas: |
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| Resumen: | Wykoff (1989) complained that student use of canned computer programs (black boxes) inhibits student learning and fosters sloppy habits. He advocated having students write their own programs in an online, interactive environment and suggested that students use Advanced Programming Language (APL) because it is compact, flexible, and well suited to economic and statistical analysis. Kennedy points out that major computer packages, such as SAS, TSP, and SHAZAM, have programming languages built into them; thus, they are characterized as providing windows for black boxes. These languages dominate APL for use in econometrics courses. Shibli maintains that, in many cases, the advantages of using canned programs far outweigh the disadvantages. Students and researchers who like to be creative and to know what they are doing will find the programming mode in any language and discover BASIC better suited to Wykoff's objectives than APL. In reply, Wykoff notes that his original contention may have been overstated but that some of the critical comments miss the mark. |
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| ISSN: | 0095-2583 1465-7295 0043-3640 |
| Fuente: | ABI/INFORM Global |