On-Line Support for Object-Oriented Programming Language Instruction

本计画透过开发创新的多媒体教学软体，来解决如何吸引、吸引及训练学生学习电脑科学的问题。这些软件工具是建立在一个叫做在线网络学习（OWL）的现有系统之上的，这个系统在化学、物理和数学方面已经取得了巨大的成功。本项目确定了面向对象（OO）编程教学中第一年CS教学的三个主要特征，特别是Java: 1)学生在一个14周的学期中学习的材料太多；2)入门课程的人员配置过于分散，将太多时间花在诸如评分之类的背景琐事上；3)由于高中教学的不均衡以及对编程教学目的的不同期望，学生的能力、兴趣和期望在一个班级里差别很大。此外，教学策略的缺陷还有三个特点：1)学生不愿意仔细阅读代码（程序）；2)学生通常在完成前两个学期的Java编程教学时，对高级设计的理解很差；3)学生是孤立的，在一起学习很差。针对这些问题，我们在传统CS课程的前两门课程，编程导论和数据结构中实施了以下教学和技术补救措施。这些补救措施包括：开发广泛的在线练习，教授面向对象编程和数据结构的基本概念；开展训练学生认真阅读代码的练习；开发练习，教学生首先从UML的角度理解代码，其次使用UML思维在高层次上设计代码；最后，通过一个非正式的旁听中心的机制，通过多学生在线练习的发展，我们训练学生更有效地与他们的同龄人合作。

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.