Programming in Java

Abstract

Java is becoming a popular first programming language for university students. One reason for its popularity is its power as an object-oriented language. This study examined beginning students' understanding of the construction and use of objects in Java. During tape-recorded interviews, students were asked to predict which programs from a collection of similar programs would work according to specification and which would not. This paper will discuss those interviews, including the most common false assumptions or “student-constructed rules” invoked by the students and the implications of the interviews for instruction.