Meeting C++ 2025 - Teaching modern C++: Is it a job or a mission?

Boguslaw Cyganek

On Day 2 at 14:30 (CET/Berlin) in Track A [Saphir Room and online]

If you are an academic teacher, a group leader, or a software engineer interested in developing methods for the robust teaching of C++, then please come to my talk so we can share ideas for better and more efficient teaching of C++.

The well-known Pareto 80/20 principle indicates that most things in life will not be distributed evenly, and typically 20% of the effort will be 80% of the effect, e.g. 80% of CPU time will be spent in 20% of code, and so on. Can we use this principle to teach C ++ better?

My opinion is that with well-chosen 20% of topics, within a few months, we can teach students the ability to write 80% of the code, at least at the application level. The point is how to choose this “gold” 20% and this is the role of good teachers. Based on twenty five years of experience in teaching C++  electrical engineering students, I will present and discuss topics such as selecting the ABC steps and practical examples for teaching modern C++, how to avoid common pitfalls and bad habits, how to learn from mistakes, as well as how to move toward professionalism.

I will also present the assumptions of the ISO C++ SG20 Education Group, in which my colleagues and I are working on Guidelines for Teaching C++.

How C++ will look like in the future, and how reliable software will be, depends on how we teach students today.

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