WebLab! A Web- and Java-Based Laboratory for Animated, Interactive Exploration of Computer Science

许多研究人员在程序动画、算法动画和计算机科学概念动画方面做了大量的工作，这些工作可以作为低水平本科计算机科学课程实验室的基础。尽管这项工作给人留下了深刻的印象，但是，由于一个主要原因，它被采用得很慢：动画软件只能在特定的计算机平台上运行，并具有特定的操作系统支持。为了解决这个问题，各种研究人员已经开始使用HTML和Java使计算机科学动画系统适应万维网。这个项目的建议，称为网络实验室，将联合收割机的PI在计算机科学动画到一个模型实验室课程，是动画，动态，互动，并可用于几乎任何计算机科学程序所做的工作。所需要的只是一个支持Java就绪的浏览器（如Netscape）的计算环境。WebLab项目将为计算机科学入门实验室提供基础设施。基于网络的基础设施将包括一套实验室练习，沿着支持基于HTML和Java的动画的用户界面，PI在过去几年中开发的Pascal程序动画，更现代的编程语言（C/C++）的动画，以及一套计算机科学概念动画（PI已在进行中的工作）。其他研究人员开发的算法动画也将被纳入WebLab，使WebLab成为一个综合的实验室环境。由于WebLab将围绕HTML和Java开发，因此随着项目的进展，它将在Web上逐渐可用。网络实验室的最终版本将通过网络提供，并以独立的CD-ROM形式与教科书和实验室手册一起分发。万维网的普遍性将确保WebLab得到广泛传播和使用。

A substantial body of work by a number of researchers has been done in program animation, algorithm animation, and computer science concept animation that could be used as the basis for laboratories in the lower-level undergraduate computer science curriculum. In spite of the impressive nature of this work, however, it has been slow to be adopted for one primary reason: the animation software runs only on specific computer platforms with specific operating system support. To solve this problem, work has begun by various researchers on adapting computer science animation systems to the World Wide Web using HTML and Java. The project of this proposal, called WebLab, will combine work done by the PI in computer science animation into a model laboratory curriculum that is animated, dynamic, interactive, and usable by virtually any computer science program. All that will be needed is a computing environment that supports a Java-ready browser, such as Netscape. The WebLab project will result in an infrastructure for introductory computer science laboratories. The Web-based infrastructure will consist of a set of laboratory exercises along with a user interface supporting animation that is based on HTML and Java, a Pascal program animator developed over the past number of years by the PI, an animator for a more modern programming language (C/C++), and a set of computer science concept animations (work already in progress by the PI). Algorithm animations developed by other researchers will also be incorporated into WebLab, making WebLab a comprehensive laboratory environment. Since WebLab will be developed around HTML and Java, it will be available incrementally over the Web as the project progresses. Final versions of WebLab will be available via the Web as well as in self-contained CD-ROM form for distribution with textbooks and lab manuals. The universal nature of the World Wide Web will ensure that WebLab is widely disseminated and used.