EXPERTISE IN TECHNOLOGY AND ECONOMICS

EAEEIE04 - SOFIA Classification of Tools for Use in Introductory Programming Courses: Technical Viewpoint Timo Rongas, Arto Kaarna, Heikki Kälviäinen

CONTENTS Introduction Motivation for the study Classification Conclusions

MOTIVATION Amount of students The system in use 1)Expensive 2)Dissatisfying Wish to find a more suitable system

CLASSIFICATION 1.Integrated Development Environments 2.Visualization tools 3.Virtual learning environments 4.Tools for submitting and evaluation of tasks 5.Others

1. Integrated Development Environments Simplified IDEs BlueJ –Object-orientation DrJava –Partial compilation Eclipse –Plugins for beginners

VISUALIZATION TOOLS Lower the level of abstraction Jeliot –Theater for algorithms Kara –State machines –Several modes

VIRTUAL LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS “One size fits all” – “Everything in one package” Viope –Different languages on a web-interface Gild –Plugin for Eclipse ELP –Focused exercises

SUBMITTING AND EVALUTATION TOOLS Wide variety of tools Teachers’ aid BOSS –Security, testing, grading, plagiation protection Coursemarker –Distribution, submitting, feedback –Based on Ceilidh

OTHERS Near, but not quite Special purpose Codelab –Short, focused exercises on the web –Several languages CodeSaw –Text-book supporting tool

CONCLUSIONS Help for teacher AND students Direction of development is towards multipurpose systems Visualization can be used as support

QUESTIONS / FEEDBACK For additional information, please contact Timo P.O.Box 20, FIN Lappeenranta,fax: FINLAND