Tracy L. Lewis
ABSTRACT
Introductory computer science courses often focus on language specifics as opposed to general concepts applicable in multiple languages. Often design issues are raised and discussed during the last week of a semester long course, or emphasized in tidbits interwoven with discussions of implementation issues. In many cases, students are exposed to design concepts before they are ready to learn design.We propose a measure of assessing "design readiness"- an assessment of the cognitive state where one is able to understand design abstractly. We will then use programming and design patterns to assist in teaching critical design concepts. This research is an attempt to address the question, can we improve a student's chance of success in learning design concepts by adjusting instruction to his/her level of design readiness? In an attempt to answer this question, we will concentrate on the following challenges (1) are programming and design patterns an effective approach to teaching object-oriented design (OOD)? If so, will an expert-defined ordering of exposure to patterns enhance learning impacts? (2) Are there characteristics of a student's background or cognitive state that makes him/her "ready" to learn design concepts and skills of OOD? If so, can these measures be used to adjust a student's design instruction to increase its effectiveness?
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