Authors: Robert Biddle, Ewan Tempero
Source: GZipped PostScript (24kb); Adobe PDF
(148kb)
Initial teaching of programming typically stresses language and program implementation issues, rather than design. We suggest a focus on reusability offers a way to introduce design at an early stage. Our approach is based on a general model for understanding reusability. It allows students to understand some basic design issues that assist programming language learning and program implementation, by establishing principles at a higher level. This paper outlines our model, describes how we use it to structure our teaching, and explains how it supports early teaching and learning of design.