Using Java to increase active learning in programming courses

ABSTRACT

Introductory courses in Programming often have many objectives, some explicit and some implicit. Increased pressure to cater for a wide range of abilities and backgrounds within the same class-group leads to a conflict between the need to lay solid foundations for the student who will eventually make a career as a software developer, and the need to provide a useful and rewarding learning experience which imparts some understanding of the principles of programming to the others. This paper proposes that giving students early access to a minimal graphical interface for input and output and tailoring examples towards colour and animation instead of account balances and inventories can improve the motivation of the masses without sacrificing the rigour needed by the few. Java is ideal for this purpose but care needs to be taken to keep complexity of both graphics and environment to a minimum.

REFERENCES

• 1: Laura Lemay , Charles L. Perkins, Teach yourself Java in 21 days, Sams, Indianapolis, IN, 1996
• 2: one version at: www.sorcon.com/java.JAVA12.html
• 3: C. Thomas Wu, An Introduction to Object-Oriented Programming with Java, McGraw-Hill Pub. Co., 2001
• 4: Java IDE, John English, Brighton University, available on the BURKS CD: <u>http://burks.bton.ac.uk.burks</u>
• 5: www.jcreator.com

INDEX TERMS

Primary Classification:
  K. Computing Milieux
  K.3 COMPUTERS AND EDUCATION
      K.3.2 Computer and Information Science Education
          Subjects: Computer science education

Additional Classification:
  D. Software
  D.3 PROGRAMMING LANGUAGES
      D.3.2 Language Classifications

          Nouns: Java

  K. Computing Milieux
  K.3 COMPUTERS AND EDUCATION
      K.3.2 Computer and Information Science Education
          Subjects: Curriculum; Information systems education

General Terms:
Algorithms, Documentation, Theory