I think that Python is a great learning language. The constructs are easy and natural, and students end up “fighting” more with the overall algorithm implementation (which is good) than with the details of system management.
Python has surpassed Java as the top language used to introduce U.S. students to programming and computer science, according to a recent survey posted by the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM).
Eight of the top 10 computer science departments now use Python to teach coding, as well as 27 of the top 39 schools, indicating that it is the most popular language for teaching introductory computer science courses, according to Philip Guo, a computer science researcher who compiled the survey for ACM.
The three largest, most popular online class providers — Coursera, edX and Udacity — also offer introductory programming courses in Python, Guo found.
Python has been growing in popularity in the educational realm for at least the past few years, though this survey is the first to show it has eclipsed Java, which has been the dominant teaching language for the past decade, Guo said in a blog post about his survey.
via Python bumps off Java as top learning language – Computerworld.