Smart Objects and Technologies for Social Good. Third International Conference, GOODTECHS 2017, Pisa, Italy, November 29-30, 2017, Proceedings

Research Article

OOPP: Tame the Design of Simple Object-Oriented Applications with Graphical Blocks

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  • @INPROCEEDINGS{10.1007/978-3-319-76111-4_28,
        author={Alberto Ferrari and Gianfranco Lombardo and Monica Mordonini and Agostino Poggi and Michele Tomaiuolo},
        title={OOPP: Tame the Design of Simple Object-Oriented Applications with Graphical Blocks},
        proceedings={Smart Objects and Technologies for Social Good. Third International Conference, GOODTECHS 2017, Pisa, Italy, November 29-30, 2017, Proceedings},
        proceedings_a={GOODTECHS},
        year={2018},
        month={3},
        keywords={Computer programming Block programming Object-oriented programming Education},
        doi={10.1007/978-3-319-76111-4_28}
    }
    
  • Alberto Ferrari
    Gianfranco Lombardo
    Monica Mordonini
    Agostino Poggi
    Michele Tomaiuolo
    Year: 2018
    OOPP: Tame the Design of Simple Object-Oriented Applications with Graphical Blocks
    GOODTECHS
    Springer
    DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-76111-4_28
Alberto Ferrari1,*, Gianfranco Lombardo1,*, Monica Mordonini1,*, Agostino Poggi1,*, Michele Tomaiuolo1,*
  • 1: Università di Parma
*Contact email: alberto.ferrari@unipr.it, gianfranco.lombardo@unipr.it, monica.mordonini@unipr.it, agostino.poggi@unipr.it, michele.tomaiuolo@unipr.it

Abstract

Many and varied experiences are being reported, about the first introduction to programming for young students and neophytes. However, tools and methodologies are needed also for a more comprehensive learning process, which requires to design the architecture of any small but functioning application. We propose a new environment, based on the use of graphical blocks, for designing some object-oriented applications. It merges the positive features of block-programming with the object-oriented paradigm in a graphical educational environment. It is developed as a tool for supporting the objects-early approach. The whole methodology is targeted at high school students, university freshmen and unemployed people who are motivated to learn to code professionally. In these cases, where we have firstly experimented this approach, the concepts of object-oriented programming (OOP) cannot be relegated to a secondary role, but they have to be introduced early and presented in their most intuitive form.