After Seven Years of JICC, What Have We Learnt?'

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After Seven Years of JICC, What Have We Learnt?'

• Peter Chalk - London Metropolitan University
• and Dr Fintan Culwin - South Bank University
• 3rd LTSN-ICS One Day Conference on the Teaching
  of Programming
• University of Huddersfield, 11th April 2003

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Java the Internet in theComputing Curriculum
Conferences 1-7Abstract (1)

• Java, like all languages, has its devotees and
  detractors, which is a healthy sign. In 1997 the
  Java In the Computing Curriculum (JICC)
  Conference series started at South Bank
  University to encourage this debate. We even had
  a subsidiary 'debate' with presentations from
  Sun, Microsoft and IBM (what fun). Two years ago,
  runner Fintan passed the baton on to Pete who
  moved to North London, now London Met. We changed
  the name to Java and the Internet in the
  Computing Curriculum.

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Abstract (2)

• Topics covered expanded to databases and
  distributed computing and last year, C made its
  entrance. JICC's strength has been its in-depth
  coverage of technical aspects of the language and
  their implications for education, the on-going
  discussion about objects/graphics GUI? first
  and a solid foundation in pedagogy. In this
  contribution to the workshop, key elements of
  this history, with pointers for the future, will
  be presented for discussion.

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Summary

• The early years why Java?
• Objects First?
• GUI when?
• Ubiquity
• Pedagogical problems
• New internet technologies
• Conclusions?

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The early years why Java

• Report from the 4th All Ireland Conference (1996)
  by Fintan Culwin (JICC1), none using, 5/25
  favour Java
• Teaching Java at Lancaster Roger Garside
  (JICC1) first (?) 96/97 Java elegant, well
  designed, non-complex OO, C-like but done right,
  strong typing, motivating (www) unifying (level
  2/3)

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Objects First?

• Java, the good, the bad and the ugly Peter
  Martin (JICC2) safe OO, no generics, C style
• Oh, by the way, Java is object oriented (Phil
  McLaughlin, JICC1, 1997) disastrous to teach
  structured methods using an OO language
• OOAD in the Java Curriculum Pam Wain (JICC4)
  UML approach
• Unifying the teaching of programming
  modelling Adrian Jackson (JICC5) Together
  Rational Rose

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GUI when?

• Interfacing with the AWT, Tim Balls (JICC1,
  1997) software engineering the user interface
  threads, interface, event model
• JFC Tutorial (Fintan Culwin JICC3) ISO
  usability - Lynn Andrea Stein OOPSLA 97
  software development as currently practiced
  involves client/server, multi-threaded artefacts
  that have a graphical user interface and are
  constructed using object oriented techniques

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Ubiquity

• Using CORBA JDBC to produce 3 tier systems
  Barry Cornelius (JICC2, 1998) live applet to
  ORB to Database demo
• Using Java to teach internet technologies
  eCommerce Robert Stroud (JICC4, 2000) I
  couldnt have taught it using C

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Pedagogical problems

• Teaching learning in large classes Frank
  Martin (JICC2) successful migration, motivation
• Learning objects demo integration (JICC7)
• Design Studio dont neglect the social process
  (Alan OCallaghan, JICC6)
• Tutorials CourseMaster (Eric Foxley JICC4),
  eCommerce (David Parsons JICC3), Patterns (Phil
  McCaughlin JICC2)

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New internet technologies

• JavaScript, XML (JICC5, 2001)
• .NET Tutorial (Barry Cornelius JICC6)
  Microsoft have hit back
• C Web Services (JICC7)
• Jython XP (David Dench, JICC7) using Python for
  unit testing

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Conclusions?

• Java includes basics (OO, syntax, GUI, thread),
  is extensible (JDBC, CORBA, APIs) interoperable
  (web services, Python)
• Successful examples of migration
• IDE? BlueJ, JCreator, JBuilder favourites
  (LTSN-ICS JISCMAIL discussion 4/2/03)
• See more at LTSN-ICS Resourcesgt Programminggt Java

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Further JICC

• JICC 8 will be held at London Metropolitan
  University on Monday 26th January 200410am to
  4.30pm Paper Deadline 6/10/03
• http//homepages.unl.ac.uk/chalkp/jicc/index.html
  
• http//homepages.unl.ac.uk/chalkp/jicc/proc.html
  - Previous Proceedings
• http//www.ics.ltsn.ac.uk/resources/programming/ja
  va.html LTSN-ICS Java Resources
• http//www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/ltsn-ics-java.html
  - eForum