Strategies for improving a Java-based, first year programming course

Author

Blumenstein, Michael

Author_Institution

Sch. of Inf. Technol., Griffith Univ., Gold Coast, Qld., Australia

fYear

2002

fDate

3-6 Dec. 2002

Firstpage

1095

Abstract

This paper describes the evolution of a first year Java course at Griffith University-Gold Coast since Semester 1, 2000 to the December 2002. The course was updated to emphasise program design and to implement and evaluate an "objects-as-needed" approach to first year programming. A number of strategies were tested to increase consistency amongst teaching staff, improve delivery of course resources, successfully cater to a wide variety of students and to enhance the learning experience in general. The success of the revised course has been measured by evaluating student feedback and performance. Currently, a focus group-based strategy of evaluation is being adopted to determine students\´ attitudes to the most recently implemented changes.

Keywords

Java; computer aided instruction; computer science education; object-oriented programming; teaching; Gold Coast; Griffith University; Java-based first year programming course; course resources delivery improvement; learning experience enhancement; revised course; student feedback evaluation; student performance evaluation; teaching staff consistency; Application software; Australia; Demography; Education; Gold; Information technology; Java; Object oriented programming; Postal services; Programming profession;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

Computers in Education, 2002. Proceedings. International Conference on

Print_ISBN

0-7695-1509-6

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/CIE.2002.1186162

Filename

1186162