Robert Biddle
Computer Science
Victoria University of Wellington
Wellington, New Zealand
robert@mcs.vuw.ac.nz
Many people are introduced to OO concepts, but only learn the words. This workshop will explore ``active learning'' techniques for OO design, where innovative teaching strategies are used to allow learners to be actively engaged in design work right from an early point. Our focus is on design mentoring and innovative active strategies. The workshop invites submissions on new techniques, new applications or extensions of well-known techniques, and case studies. Prospective workshop participants are invited to submit a position paper with a contribution on these topics. The workshop will consist of presentations on these topics, and immediate active experimentation using the techniques.
Many people have been exposed to introductions and course material on OO concepts, but have difficulty in applying these concepts in their own design. They can talk the talk, but they can't walk the walk.
At Oopsla 2000, we will be organizing a workshop to explore ``active learning'' techniques for OO design, where innovative teaching strategies are used to allow students to be actively engaged in design work right from an early point. Two such well-known techniques are CRC cards and role play. Despite being more than a decade old, these are regarded two of the best techniques for learning OO design. Even these techniques permit variation and improvement, and there is scope for more innovation and other active techniques as well.
The workshop invites submissions on new techniques, new applications or extensions of well-known techniques, and case studies. Our focus is on design mentoring, and innovative active strategies.
This workshop stems from our earlier work exploring and promoting the early emphasis on design as an important step forward in OO education. A 1996 workshop resulted in general agreement about the advantages of the approach, but also identified some key barriers to progress [3]. We have been steadily exploring ways to overcome these barriers. In 1998 and 1999, we addressed difficulties concerning evaluating design, and developed a model for design evaluation [4]. In 2000 we will take the initiative, and explore innovation in active learning.
In 2000, prospective workshop participants will be invited to submit a position paper with a contribution on this topic. The workshop will consist of presentations on these topics, and active experimentation using the techniques right away. We will prepare a report summarizing the workshop and results, and make workshop papers and related resources available via our web repository. We will present an immediate report to the Oopsla Educators Symposium, and prepare a poster summarizing the workshop for the Oopsla poster session.
We will stay true to the key principles of our earlier workshops by continuing to stress design over implementation, explicitly avoiding language wars, and above all working to help educators and mentors perform their role more successfully. We will again specifically invite people from industry to contribute their perspective.
Our agenda will balance participant communication and participant involvement. We will begin with inviting brief presentations of position papers, end with reflection and structuring what we have learned. In the middle, we will have active engagement, as we try out sample active learning techniques.
Active learning includes a variety of techniques, but the main idea is
active involvement of learners. An overview of this area of education
is provided by Bonwell and Eison [5]; a digest is
also available at the following web page:
http://www.ed.gov/databases/ERIC_Digests/ed340272.html
There has also been explicit consideration of the role of active learning with regard to computer science education: for example see the paper by McConnell [6].
Probably the best known active learning technique for OO design
involves CRC (Class-responsibility-Collaborator) cards
[1, 7, 2]. However,
there are also new and innovative techniques, such as the tutorial
board game of ``GOF Pursuit'', by James Noble and Charles Weir:
http://www.cix.co.uk/~cweir/GofPursuit/GOFPURS.HTM
http://www.mcs.vuw.ac.nz/research/design1/
Workshop Report:
Active Learning For Object-Oriented Design
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