Abstract
In recent years, there has been considerable interest in using Java in introductory computer science courses. The advantages of choosing Java, however, must be balanced against two significant drawbacks: the instability caused by the rapid evolution of the Java toolkits and the complexity of the graphics model for new students. This paper outlines a strategy for teaching Java that eliminates these problems. The first component of that strategy is a set of low-level classes, DBCanvas and XGraphics, which together offer a double-buffered graphics model that is well matched to student intuition. The second component is a set of higher-level classes, principally Collage and Widget, which make it easy to introduce object-oriented techniques at the beginning of CS1. The sources for these classes are available on the Web at the URL http://cse.stanford.edu/java
- 1 Adobe Systems, Inc. PostScript Language Reference Manual Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley, i985. Google Scholar
Digital Library
- 2 Flanagan, David. Java in a Nutshell. Cambridge: O'Reilly, 1997.Google Scholar
- 3 Gosling, James and McGilton, Henry. The Java Language Environment: A White Paper Sun Microsystems, May 1996. URL: http ://java. sun.com/docs/white/langenv/. O'Reilly, 1997.Google Scholar
- 4 Horstmann, Cay. Computing Concepts in Java. New York: John Wiley and Sons, 1997. Google Scholar
Digital Library
- 5 Hosch, Frederick. Java as a first language: An evaluation. SIGCSE Bulletin (September 1996), 45- 54. Google Scholar
Digital Library
- 6 Hume, J N Patterson and Stephenson, Christine. Programming Concepts in Java. Toronto: Holt Software Associates, 1998.Google Scholar
- 7 Mutchler, David and Laxer, Cary. Using multimedia and GUI programming in CS 1. Integrating Technology into Computer Science Education (Barcelona, June 1996), 63-65. Google Scholar
Digital Library
- 8 Papert, Seymour. Mindstorms. New York: Basic Books, 1980.Google Scholar
- 9 Roberts, Eric. Using C in CS 1: Evaluating the Stanford experience. SIGCSE Bulletin (March 1993), 117-121. Google Scholar
Digital Library
- 10 Roberts, Eric. A C-Based Graphics Library for CSI. SIGCSE Bulletin (March 1995), 163-167. Google Scholar
Digital Library
- 11 Roberts, Eric. The Art and Science of C. Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley, 1995.Google Scholar
- 12 Roberts, Eric. Tools for creating portable demonstration programs. Integrating Technology into Computer Science Education (Barcelona, June 1996), 78-80. Google Scholar
Digital Library
- 13 Weiss, Mark. Experience teaching data structure with Java. SIGCSE Bulletin (March 1997), 164-168. Google Scholar
Digital Library
- 14 Wester, Frank. Visual programming with Java; an alternative approach to introductory programming. SIGCSE Bulletin (September 1997), 57-58. Google Scholar
Digital Library
- 15 Wolz, Ursula; Weisgarber, Scott; Domen, Daniel and McAuliffe, Michael. Teaching introductory programming in the multi-media world. Integrating Technology into Computer Science Education (Barcelona, June 1996), 57-59. Google Scholar
Digital Library
Index Terms
Designing a Java graphics library for CS 1
Recommendations
Designing a Java graphics library for CS 1
ITiCSE '98: Proceedings of the 6th annual conference on the teaching of computing and the 3rd annual conference on Integrating technology into computer science education: Changing the delivery of computer science educationIn recent years, there has been considerable interest in using Java in introductory computer science courses. The advantages of choosing Java, however, must be balanced against two significant drawbacks: the instability caused by the rapid evolution of ...






Comments