Have students use a spiral notebook to keep track of important information to enhance their understanding of topics by writing down the material. Share Have students use a spiral notebook to keep track of important information to enhance their understanding of topics by writing down the material. with FacebookShare Have students use a spiral notebook to keep track of important information to enhance their understanding of topics by writing down the material. with Twitter
Use the “fence post” method when teaching Java’s substring method to help students use it accurately. Share Use the “fence post” method when teaching Java’s substring method to help students use it accurately. with FacebookShare Use the “fence post” method when teaching Java’s substring method to help students use it accurately. with Twitter
Foreshadow arrays right after teaching for loops by showing students how to create a 1x6 grid using the rectangle object in the Java objectdraw library because visualizations built off of recently introduced material provide a useful transition. Share Foreshadow arrays right after teaching for loops by showing students how to create a 1x6 grid using the rectangle object in the Java objectdraw library because visualizations built off of recently introduced material provide a useful transition. with FacebookShare Foreshadow arrays right after teaching for loops by showing students how to create a 1x6 grid using the rectangle object in the Java objectdraw library because visualizations built off of recently introduced material provide a useful transition. with Twitter
Step through an accumulator pattern on board to make clear how variables change within a while loop to help students understand this confusing topic. Share Step through an accumulator pattern on board to make clear how variables change within a while loop to help students understand this confusing topic. with FacebookShare Step through an accumulator pattern on board to make clear how variables change within a while loop to help students understand this confusing topic. with Twitter
Have students code boundary condition test to handle removing adjacent duplicates to help them better understand data structures and become familiar with common bugs through practice. Share Have students code boundary condition test to handle removing adjacent duplicates to help them better understand data structures and become familiar with common bugs through practice. with FacebookShare Have students code boundary condition test to handle removing adjacent duplicates to help them better understand data structures and become familiar with common bugs through practice. with Twitter
Create boolean variables to use as the condition when introducing if statement to highlight for students that the condition is any expression that evaluates to true or false. Share Create boolean variables to use as the condition when introducing if statement to highlight for students that the condition is any expression that evaluates to true or false. with FacebookShare Create boolean variables to use as the condition when introducing if statement to highlight for students that the condition is any expression that evaluates to true or false. with Twitter
Use Car as an example of an interface because students agree on the general behaviors of a car but can only come up with specific instantiations of cars, which provides students with a strong mental model for interface relationships. Share Use Car as an example of an interface because students agree on the general behaviors of a car but can only come up with specific instantiations of cars, which provides students with a strong mental model for interface relationships. with FacebookShare Use Car as an example of an interface because students agree on the general behaviors of a car but can only come up with specific instantiations of cars, which provides students with a strong mental model for interface relationships. with Twitter
Explain that Strings in Java are a weird-hybrid between a primitive and an Object and as a result they can’t be modified. Share Explain that Strings in Java are a weird-hybrid between a primitive and an Object and as a result they can’t be modified. with FacebookShare Explain that Strings in Java are a weird-hybrid between a primitive and an Object and as a result they can’t be modified. with Twitter
Have students act out diagrams they create of the stack and heap to extend this common drawing exercise and help them strengthen their mental models. Share Have students act out diagrams they create of the stack and heap to extend this common drawing exercise and help them strengthen their mental models. with FacebookShare Have students act out diagrams they create of the stack and heap to extend this common drawing exercise and help them strengthen their mental models. with Twitter
Walk students through clicking on links in Java Docs to figure out unknown words and concepts (like iterable) by exploring the detailed explanation; plus the AP test expects students to read Java Docs online. Share Walk students through clicking on links in Java Docs to figure out unknown words and concepts (like iterable) by exploring the detailed explanation; plus the AP test expects students to read Java Docs online. with FacebookShare Walk students through clicking on links in Java Docs to figure out unknown words and concepts (like iterable) by exploring the detailed explanation; plus the AP test expects students to read Java Docs online. with Twitter
Force students to explore inheritance and the Java APIs for ArrayList by writing code that HAS-A ArrayList or IS-A ArrayList. Share Force students to explore inheritance and the Java APIs for ArrayList by writing code that HAS-A ArrayList or IS-A ArrayList. with FacebookShare Force students to explore inheritance and the Java APIs for ArrayList by writing code that HAS-A ArrayList or IS-A ArrayList. with Twitter
Misconception: In Java, students don’t realize that methods are inherited, but constructors are not. Share Misconception: In Java, students don’t realize that methods are inherited, but constructors are not. with FacebookShare Misconception: In Java, students don’t realize that methods are inherited, but constructors are not. with Twitter
Explain that when you ask an object to do something the proper syntax in Java is to say object [dot] method, sometimes there is additional information required. Share Explain that when you ask an object to do something the proper syntax in Java is to say object [dot] method, sometimes there is additional information required. with FacebookShare Explain that when you ask an object to do something the proper syntax in Java is to say object [dot] method, sometimes there is additional information required. with Twitter
Misconception: Students struggle with the jump from writing code in one method to writing code in two methods. Share Misconception: Students struggle with the jump from writing code in one method to writing code in two methods. with FacebookShare Misconception: Students struggle with the jump from writing code in one method to writing code in two methods. with Twitter
Misconception: Return is a mystery to students because they may not understand that functions have an entry point and an exit point. This results in mistakes such as assuming Python will return the right thing. Share Misconception: Return is a mystery to students because they may not understand that functions have an entry point and an exit point. This results in mistakes such as assuming Python will return the right thing. with FacebookShare Misconception: Return is a mystery to students because they may not understand that functions have an entry point and an exit point. This results in mistakes such as assuming Python will return the right thing. with Twitter
Show a variety of for loops conditionals (e.g., < vs. <=; different variable names, different start values, different increment operations) to avoid common misconceptions about loops. Share Show a variety of for loops conditionals (e.g., < vs. <=; different variable names, different start values, different increment operations) to avoid common misconceptions about loops. with FacebookShare Show a variety of for loops conditionals (e.g., < vs. <=; different variable names, different start values, different increment operations) to avoid common misconceptions about loops. with Twitter
Having students trace a simple program for drawing a set of squares in Processing to introduce loops and strengthen student understanding for-loops with a body of code through practice. Share Having students trace a simple program for drawing a set of squares in Processing to introduce loops and strengthen student understanding for-loops with a body of code through practice. with FacebookShare Having students trace a simple program for drawing a set of squares in Processing to introduce loops and strengthen student understanding for-loops with a body of code through practice. with Twitter
Encourage students to get the for-loop counter right before adding code inside the for loop this will reduce the amount of time spent troubleshooting for-loops and ensure students are scaffolded well. Share Encourage students to get the for-loop counter right before adding code inside the for loop this will reduce the amount of time spent troubleshooting for-loops and ensure students are scaffolded well. with FacebookShare Encourage students to get the for-loop counter right before adding code inside the for loop this will reduce the amount of time spent troubleshooting for-loops and ensure students are scaffolded well. with Twitter
Show students explicitly how objects and variables might have other names (i.e., aliasing) to help students understand that variable names don’t have to match parameter names because students often find this confusing. Share Show students explicitly how objects and variables might have other names (i.e., aliasing) to help students understand that variable names don’t have to match parameter names because students often find this confusing. with FacebookShare Show students explicitly how objects and variables might have other names (i.e., aliasing) to help students understand that variable names don’t have to match parameter names because students often find this confusing. with Twitter
Misconception: Students don’t realize that the keyword return causes Java to leave the current method. Share Misconception: Students don’t realize that the keyword return causes Java to leave the current method. with FacebookShare Misconception: Students don’t realize that the keyword return causes Java to leave the current method. with Twitter