Studying Programming

This book is designed to support a student in studying programming. It is not intended to teach any particular programming language, but to be used alongside such a book, or in conjunction with a formal course. A distinctive feature of the approach is the focus on the processes that students experience while learning to program. The book adopts a structure that mirrors the conceptual and developmental steps that a student takes from confronting their very first blank screen to working on complex problems within a team.

We've written this book to support students in studying programming. It is not a text to teach any particular programming language, but to be used alongside such a book, or in conjunction with a taught course. In Studying Programming we concentrate on what other books consider too 'obvious' or too 'basic'. We explain the ideas that others assume you know, we describe the things that can make learning to program a frustrating experience if you don't know them. We stay with you through the process from starting with your very first blank screen to working on complex problems within a team.

Studying Programming has been written by nine members of the Computing Education Research Group at the University of Kent. All of us are practicing computing academics who also have a research interest in CS education. So we have a strong classroom background - teaching students on a daily basis - and a strong research background, knowing what has been investigated (and written on) with regard to students' knowledge, conception and difficulties in introductory programming.

Complements any introductory programming textbook
Discusses computingfocused study skills
Can be read in preparation for formal study
Is not languagespecific, so can support any programming course

Autorentext
SALLY FINCHER is Lecturer in the Computing Laboratory at the University of Kent, UK, where she leads the Computer Education Research Group.

Inhalt

GETTING STARTED.- Who is this Book for?.- What is Programming?.- Everyone Makes Mistakes.- YOUR FIRST PROGRAM.- Before You Start.- Writing Your First Program.- The Nature of Errors.- YOUR NEXT PROGRAMS.- The Many Ways of Programming.- Writing Bigger Programs.- Becoming a Detective.- IT ALL GETS INTERESTING.- Grappling With Design.- Writing Your Nth Program.- Juggling all the Pieces.- OTHER LANGUAGES.- Why Do We Have Different Programming Languages?.- Exploiting Your Programming Skills.- Taking Programming Further.- HERE BE DRAGONS.- How Languages Differ.- In Closing.- References.- Index.