Brad Richards
Abstract
This paper describes a restructuring of our introductory sequence that resulted in the adoption of Java in our data structures course. Our motivation and plans are discussed, and our experiences - not always positive - are presented. While some of these experiences are specific to our functional-first introductory sequence, issues such as the transition from Java to C++ and the impact on later courses are likely to arise in most departments.
- {1} Byron Weber Becker. Teaching CS1 with karel the robot in java. In Proceedings of the thirty second SIGCSE technical symposium on Computer Science Education, pages 50-54. ACM Press, 2001. Google Scholar
- {2} Joseph Bergin. Java as a better C++. ACM SIGPLAN Notices, 31(11):21-27, 1996. Google Scholar
- {3} Joseph Bergin, Thomas L. Naps, Constance G. Bland, Stephen J. Hartley, Mark A. Holliday, Pamela B. Lawhead, John Lewis, Myles F. McNally, Christopher H. Nevison, Cheng Ng, George J. Pothering, and Tommi Teräsvirta. Java resources for computer science instruction. In Working Group reports of the 3rd annual SIGCSE/SIGCUE ITiCSE conference on Integrating technology into computer science education, pages 14-34. ACM Press, 1998. Google Scholar
- {4} Judith Bishop and Nigel Bishop. Object-orientation in java for scientific programmers. In Proceedings of the thirty-first SIGCSE technical symposium on Computer science education, pages 357-361. ACM Press, 2000. Google Scholar
- {5} Stephen A. Block. Scheme and java in the first year. The Journal of Computing in Small Colleges, 15(5):157-165, 2000. Google Scholar
- {6} Duane Buck and David J. Stucki. Design early considered harmful: graduated exposure to complexity and structure based on levels of cognitive development. In Proceedings of the thirty-first SIGCSE technical symposium on Computer science education, pages 75-79. ACM Press, 2000. Google Scholar
- {7} James Comer and Robert Roggio. Teaching a java-based CS1 course in an academically-diverse environment. In Proceedings of the 33rd SIGCSE technical symposium on Computer science education, pages 142-146. ACM Press, 2002. Google Scholar
- {8} Adair Dingle and Carol Zander. Assessing the ripple effect of cs1 language choice. In Proceedings of the second annual CCSC on Computing in Small Colleges Northwestern conference, pages 85-93. The Consortium for Computing in Small Colleges, 2000. Google Scholar
- {9} Jason Hong. The use of java as an introductory programming language. Crossroads, 4(4):8-13, 1998. Google Scholar
- {10} Michael Kölling and John Rosenberg. Guidelines for teaching object orientation with java. In Proceedings of the 6th annual conference on Innovation and technology in computer science education, pages 33-36. ACM Press, 2001. Google Scholar
- {11} Elliot Koffman and Ursula Wolz. CS1 using java language features gently. In Proceedings of the 4th annual SIGCSE/SIGCUE ITiCSE conference on Innovation and technology in computer science education, pages 40-43. ACM Press, 1999. Google Scholar
- {12} Peter Martin. Java, the good, the bad and the ugly. ACM SIGPLAN Notices, 33(4):34-39, 1998. Google Scholar
- {13} The Joint Task Force on Computing Curricula. Computing curricula 2001. Journal of Educational Resources in Computing (JERIC), 1(3es):1, 2001. Google Scholar
- {14} Dean Sanders and Brian Dorn. Jeroo: a tool for introducing object-oriented programming. In Proceedings of the 34th technical symposium on Computer science education, pages 201-204. ACM Press, 2003. Google Scholar
- {15} Paul Tyma. Why are we using java again? Communications of the ACM, 41(6):38-42, 1998. Google Scholar
- {16} Henry M. Walker. The Limits of Computing. Jones and Bartlett, 1994. Google Scholar
- {17} Mark Allen Weiss. Experiences teaching data structures with java. In Proceedings of the twenty-eighth SIGCSE technical symposium on Computer science education, pages 164-168. ACM Press, 1997. Google Scholar
Index Terms
- Experiences incorporating Java into the introductory sequence
Recommendations
Alternative pacing in an introductory java sequence
CITC5 '04: Proceedings of the 5th conference on Information technology educationIn academic year 2002-3, the Information Technology (IT) Department at the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) implemented an alternative programming sequence with the goal of helping students who initially struggle with programming concepts to ...
Experiences with IDEs and Java teaching: what works and what doesn't
Proceedings of the 8th annual conference on Innovation and technology in computer science educationThe environment chosen to teach Java can have a profound effect on students' abilities to learn the language. Panelists will report on their experiences using different Java Interactive Development Environments (IDEs) to teach Java and what they ...
Retaining majors through the introductory sequence
SIGCSE '07: Proceedings of the 38th SIGCSE technical symposium on Computer science educationRetention is an important issue for Computer Science Departments. In many cases students leave the major due to frustrations with programming in the complex languages often used in CS1 and CS2 or because they do not understand that computer science is ...
Comments