Visualization makes array easy

• Published in: Testing and Measurement: Techniques and Applications - Proceedings of the 2015 International Conference on Testing and Measurement: Techniques and Applications, TMTA 2015
• Main Author: Ramli R.Z.; Kapi A.Y.; Osman N.
• Format: Conference paper
• Language: English
• Published: CRC Press/Balkema 2015
• Online Access: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84962182172&doi=10.1201%2fb18470-78&partnerID=40&md5=e62c102568feeb99eee66c4dcf934efa

In recent years, programming has become the most influential programming paradigm either in the industry or in education but the teaching of programming remains difficult. (Kölling, 1999). Students beginning their first programming class often find it hard to grasp the abstract nature of the coding and concepts involved in objects. In this project, we discussed the difficulties students may encounter in learning array objects and its operation and proposed visualization and interaction technique as an approach to teaching introductory programming course. Students are unable to visualize the concept of array behaviors and its operations. The difficulties in learning array are affecting student’s interest towards the subject. Algorithm visualization system as mentioned by Boisvert (2009) are used in teaching as they can show the steps of execution in an animation to allow a viewer to construct a mental model of how the process leads to the required result. Therefore, we develop “Virtualization makes Array Easy” (VAE) that offers good array visualization, constructed analogy and direct interaction with its operation. VAE is able to attract the student’s interest through graphical representation of the array and provide clear illustration. Hence, the students can obtain a new learning experience with a better understanding to the concepts of array’s operation and thus perform better in their assessments. © 2015 Taylor & Francis Group, London.