Remind students that variable assignment occurs in the order assignments are given. This avoids the misconception that changing one value affects other variables assigned before it. Share Remind students that variable assignment occurs in the order assignments are given. This avoids the misconception that changing one value affects other variables assigned before it. with FacebookShare Remind students that variable assignment occurs in the order assignments are given. This avoids the misconception that changing one value affects other variables assigned before it. with Twitter
Avoid using x and y as variable names to prevent students from confusing variable assignments with mathematical expressions. Share Avoid using x and y as variable names to prevent students from confusing variable assignments with mathematical expressions. with FacebookShare Avoid using x and y as variable names to prevent students from confusing variable assignments with mathematical expressions. with Twitter
Introduce object states early when teaching object-oriented programming. Share Introduce object states early when teaching object-oriented programming. with FacebookShare Introduce object states early when teaching object-oriented programming. with Twitter
Be explicit about what direction references point when teaching about objects and references. Share Be explicit about what direction references point when teaching about objects and references. with FacebookShare Be explicit about what direction references point when teaching about objects and references. with Twitter
Emphasize to your students that in languages like Java a semicolon ends a complete thought, rather than just a line of code. Share Emphasize to your students that in languages like Java a semicolon ends a complete thought, rather than just a line of code. with FacebookShare Emphasize to your students that in languages like Java a semicolon ends a complete thought, rather than just a line of code. with Twitter
Emphasize that it is not necessary to add the reference operator, &, in C++ when passing an argument to a function that takes in a reference. Share Emphasize that it is not necessary to add the reference operator, &, in C++ when passing an argument to a function that takes in a reference. with FacebookShare Emphasize that it is not necessary to add the reference operator, &, in C++ when passing an argument to a function that takes in a reference. with Twitter
When teaching about logical operations, give examples that use real-life situations or events. Share When teaching about logical operations, give examples that use real-life situations or events. with FacebookShare When teaching about logical operations, give examples that use real-life situations or events. with Twitter
Emphasize that students should know which HTML tags are self-contained to make writing and debugging code easier. Share Emphasize that students should know which HTML tags are self-contained to make writing and debugging code easier. with FacebookShare Emphasize that students should know which HTML tags are self-contained to make writing and debugging code easier. with Twitter
When creating websites, many misconceptions students have arise from not fully understanding CSS, Cascading Style Sheets. Share When creating websites, many misconceptions students have arise from not fully understanding CSS, Cascading Style Sheets. with FacebookShare When creating websites, many misconceptions students have arise from not fully understanding CSS, Cascading Style Sheets. with Twitter
Teach students that running tests cannot prove that a code works. It can, however, prove that code is not working. Share Teach students that running tests cannot prove that a code works. It can, however, prove that code is not working. with FacebookShare Teach students that running tests cannot prove that a code works. It can, however, prove that code is not working. with Twitter
Before moving onto arrays, make sure students feel really confident about loops. Share Before moving onto arrays, make sure students feel really confident about loops. with FacebookShare Before moving onto arrays, make sure students feel really confident about loops. with Twitter
When you write a function, like (foo x), students don’t realize you can put a variable with a name OTHER than x in there, or an actual number. Share When you write a function, like (foo x), students don’t realize you can put a variable with a name OTHER than x in there, or an actual number. with FacebookShare When you write a function, like (foo x), students don’t realize you can put a variable with a name OTHER than x in there, or an actual number. with Twitter
Introduce memory and efficiency a few months into the AP CS course. Do so in a hands-on way by demonstrating how a computer cannot compute a slow problem. Share Introduce memory and efficiency a few months into the AP CS course. Do so in a hands-on way by demonstrating how a computer cannot compute a slow problem. with FacebookShare Introduce memory and efficiency a few months into the AP CS course. Do so in a hands-on way by demonstrating how a computer cannot compute a slow problem. with Twitter
Gamify Command-line learning through Terminus, a text-based adventure game. Share Gamify Command-line learning through Terminus, a text-based adventure game. with FacebookShare Gamify Command-line learning through Terminus, a text-based adventure game. with Twitter
Misconception: Students have difficulty using the correct data types in Java because their go-to data type is int most of the time. Share Misconception: Students have difficulty using the correct data types in Java because their go-to data type is int most of the time. with FacebookShare Misconception: Students have difficulty using the correct data types in Java because their go-to data type is int most of the time. with Twitter
Misconception: students forget about language-specific or paradigm-specific material (e.g., new/delete or types) when they switch between languages that don’t use the same concepts. Share Misconception: students forget about language-specific or paradigm-specific material (e.g., new/delete or types) when they switch between languages that don’t use the same concepts. with FacebookShare Misconception: students forget about language-specific or paradigm-specific material (e.g., new/delete or types) when they switch between languages that don’t use the same concepts. with Twitter
Misconception: When passing arrays in C/C++ students often forget to pass in the size of the array and to use [] (square brackets) to make the variable an array. Share Misconception: When passing arrays in C/C++ students often forget to pass in the size of the array and to use [] (square brackets) to make the variable an array. with FacebookShare Misconception: When passing arrays in C/C++ students often forget to pass in the size of the array and to use [] (square brackets) to make the variable an array. with Twitter
Misconception: Students incorrectly assume that Java’s substring method is destructive and wrongly anticipate the original string will change. Share Misconception: Students incorrectly assume that Java’s substring method is destructive and wrongly anticipate the original string will change. with FacebookShare Misconception: Students incorrectly assume that Java’s substring method is destructive and wrongly anticipate the original string will change. with Twitter
Misconception: Students often think that classes hold Objects rather than understanding that they’re a blueprint for Objects because of the main method. Share Misconception: Students often think that classes hold Objects rather than understanding that they’re a blueprint for Objects because of the main method. with FacebookShare Misconception: Students often think that classes hold Objects rather than understanding that they’re a blueprint for Objects because of the main method. with Twitter
Justify the reason that Java Strings are immutable by showing how Strings might be packed together in the heap to help students resolve incomplete understandings in their mental model. Share Justify the reason that Java Strings are immutable by showing how Strings might be packed together in the heap to help students resolve incomplete understandings in their mental model. with FacebookShare Justify the reason that Java Strings are immutable by showing how Strings might be packed together in the heap to help students resolve incomplete understandings in their mental model. with Twitter