On-Line Support for Object-Oriented Programming Language Instruction

该项目通过为计算机科学入门课程开发创新的基于多媒体的教学软件来解决吸引、吸引和胜任培训计算机科学学生的问题。该软件工具建立在一个名为在线网络学习（OWL）的现有系统之上，该系统已在化学，物理和数学领域取得了巨大成功。 这个项目确定了面向对象（OO）编程教学中第一年CS教学的三个主要特点，特别是在Java中：1）学生在一个14周的学期中学习的材料太多; 2）入门课程的人员配备太少，花了太多的时间在诸如评分之类的背景琐事上; 3）由于高中教学的不均衡和对程序设计教学目的的不同期望，学生的能力，兴趣和期望在一个班级中差异很大。此外，三个额外的特征表征教学策略的缺陷：1）学生不愿意仔细阅读代码（程序）; 2）学生往往完成前两个学期的Java编程教学与高级设计的意识非常差;和3）学生是孤立的，一起工作差。 我们正在实施以下教学和技术补救措施，这些问题的背景下，在传统的CS课程，介绍编程和数据结构的前两门课程。这些补救措施包括：开发广泛的在线练习，教授OO编程和数据结构的基本概念;开发练习，训练学生成为仔细的代码阅读者;开发练习，教学生首先从UML的角度理解代码，其次使用UML思维设计高层次的代码;最后，透过一个非正式的参与中心的机制，以及透过发展多学生的线上练习，我们训练学生更有效地与同侪合作。

This project addresses the issues of attracting, engaging, and competently training students in computer science by developing innovative multimedia-based instructional software for introductory computer science classes. The software tools is built on top of an existing system called Online Web-based Learning (OWL), a system that has been used with great success in chemistry, physics, and mathematics. This project identifies three broad characteristics of first year CS instruction in object-oriented (OO) programming instruction, particularly in Java: 1) there is too much material for students to learn in a single 14 week semester; 2) staffing in introductory courses is stretched too thinly and devotes too much time to background chores such as grading; and 3) because of very uneven instruction in high schools and varying expectations about the purpose of programming instruction, student competence, interest, and expectation varies greatly in a single class. Moreover three additional features characterize defects in teaching strategies: 1) students are reluctant to read code (programs) carefully; 2) students often complete the first two semesters of Java programming instruction with a very poorly developed sense of high-level design; and 3) students are isolated and work together poorly. We are implementing the following pedagogical and technical remedies for these problems in the context of the first two courses in a traditional CS curriculum, introduction to programming and data structures. These remedies include: the development of a wide range of on-line exercises that teach about the fundamental concepts of OO programming and data structures; the development of exercises that train students to be careful code-readers; the development of exercises that teach students first to understand code from a UML perspective, and second to use UML thinking to design code at a high level; and finally, through the mechanism of an informal drop-in center, and through the development of multi-student on-line exercises, we train students to collaborate more effectively with their peers.