A study of loop style and abstraction in pedagogic practice

David J. Barnes, Dermot Shinners-Kennedy

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contributionpeer-review

Abstract

This paper describes the results of a study into the use of structure and abstraction in the programming styles of lecturers and teaching assistants involved in teaching programming to students attending university and other third-level institutions. The study was motivated by the hypothesis that the trend towards object-orientation is being matched by pedagogic materials that consistently foster the deployment of abstraction and structure in the solution of programming problems. Unfortunately the evidence does not support the hypothesis. We conclude that the persistent use of abstraction at all levels of implementation is necessary to perfect expertise in its application and secure the benefits of the object-oriented paradigm.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationComputing Education 2011 - Proceedings of the Thirteenth Australasian Computing Education Conference, ACE 2011
Pages29-36
Number of pages8
Publication statusPublished - 2011
Event13th Australasian Computing Education Conference, ACE 2011 - Perth, WA, Australia
Duration: 17 Jan 201120 Jan 2011

Publication series

NameConferences in Research and Practice in Information Technology Series
Volume114
ISSN (Print)1445-1336

Conference

Conference13th Australasian Computing Education Conference, ACE 2011
Country/TerritoryAustralia
CityPerth, WA
Period17/01/1120/01/11

Keywords

  • Abstraction
  • Exit-in-the-middle problems
  • Iteration
  • Object orientation
  • Pedagogy
  • Structured programming

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