Experience in teaching object-oriented concepts to first year students with diverse backgrounds

Abstract

This paper describes the experiences in coordinating a first year programming course at Griffith University since Semester 1, 2000. In this time, the course structure and content have evolved to implement and evaluate an "objects-as-needed" approach to first year programming with the recent return to an "objects-early" approach. A variety of assessment strategies have also been employed in order to maximize student-learning outcomes. The success of the revised course has continuously been measured by evaluating student feedback and performance. Finally, a focus group-based strategy of evaluation was adopted to determine students' attitudes to the most recently implemented changes.

Befriending Computer Programming: A Proposed Approach to Teaching Introductory Programming

“…In environments where a programming unit was based on a single, object-oriented paradigm, one of the major issues is the way in which object orientation is introduced to students (Blumenstein, 2004;Lister & Leaney, 2003). Two contradictory approaches to curriculum design have been used and tested in various institutions: the objects-first approach and the structured programming-first approach; both these approaches have been reported as successful.…”

“…Frequent assessment is favoured in an introductory programming unit (Blumenstein, 2004) and the two types of assessment most commonly used include objective testing and performancebased assessment. Objective testing such as multiple choice questions is said to be useful in providing instant feedback to students in their understanding of language syntax or program behaviour; performance-based assessment such as laboratory exercises, programming assignments and examinations help to test students' ability to write working computer programs (McCracken et al, 2001).…”

Improving Progression and Satisfaction Rates of Novice Computer Programming Students through ACME – Analogy, Collaboration, Mentoring, and Electronic Support

“…Others advocated the teaching of programming based on a single paradigm, such as the object-oriented paradigm for example. Proponents of the object-oriented approach were divided into two "camps" that favoured a particular way of how object orientation should be introduced: objects-first (Blumenstein, 2004;Lister & Leaney, 2003), or structured programming-first (Sheard & Hagan, 1998): both these approaches have been reported as successful.…”

“…Frequent assessment is favoured in an introductory programming unit (Blumenstein, 2004) and the two types of assessment most commonly used include objective testing and performancebased assessment. Objective testing provides students with useful instant feedback and helps their understanding of language syntax or program behaviour; performance-based assessment helps to test students' ability to write working computer programs (McCracken et al, 2001).…”