There's a field known as "Instructional Technology" or "Learning Technology" that studies how to optimize instruction, training, and educational experiences. The difference that the author articulates is the difference between two major schools of thought in this field: Behaviorism and Constructivism.
The hand-holding, specifications approach taken by American College Board is an example of Behaviorism. While Project Euler's structured, incremental challenges are examples of Constructivism.
Within IT, there are certainly adamant followers of both schools of thought. But, as with many facets of life, the middle ground is normally better than either extreme.
For example, would you like your next pilot or ER doctor to have ONLY learned the Project Euler way? (If you say yes, you really need to stop what you're doing and read "The Checklist Manifesto: How to Get Things Right" by Atul Gawande.)
On the flip side, when you come down with some extremely rare condition, do you want your doctor to have ONLY learned the American College Board way?
Similarly, programming and computer science have facets that are best addressed through Project Euler challenges, and others that are better addressed through CodeAcademy hand-holding and lessons based on detailed American College Board objectives.
The hand-holding, specifications approach taken by American College Board is an example of Behaviorism. While Project Euler's structured, incremental challenges are examples of Constructivism.
Within IT, there are certainly adamant followers of both schools of thought. But, as with many facets of life, the middle ground is normally better than either extreme.
For example, would you like your next pilot or ER doctor to have ONLY learned the Project Euler way? (If you say yes, you really need to stop what you're doing and read "The Checklist Manifesto: How to Get Things Right" by Atul Gawande.)
On the flip side, when you come down with some extremely rare condition, do you want your doctor to have ONLY learned the American College Board way?
Similarly, programming and computer science have facets that are best addressed through Project Euler challenges, and others that are better addressed through CodeAcademy hand-holding and lessons based on detailed American College Board objectives.