Insights to Improve Computer Science Education by Enhancing the Java Language and Tools

Abstract

Java is the most well-known and widely used object-oriented programming language. It uses “objects” as instances of particular data types, or classes. While many computer science students who take Java programming beginner courses, such as AP Computer Science A and fundamental college Java coding courses, succeed in learning Java fundamentals, some aspects of Java make it less intuitive than other programming languages and more difficult to understand than necessary. The purpose of this study is to present eleven insights on how Java could be made more learner-friendly based on the author’s personal experience learning Java and analyze whether these eleven insights are consistently perceived as useful to current student learners and industry practitioners. A digital survey was conducted with individuals who are learning or have learned the language. Respondents were presented with questions and were instructed to choose the best answer to each question. The results from the survey indicated that four insights were perceived as useful and that there was no inherent preference for the remaining six insights. Further research must be conducted to fully understand the perception differences between new learners and experienced practitioners.