A Java visualiser class: incorporating algorithm visualisations into students' programs

Authors:
Thomas L. Naps
Affiliations:
Lawrence University, Appleton WI
Venue:
ITiCSE '98 Proceedings of the 6th annual conference on the teaching of computing and the 3rd annual conference on Integrating technology into computer science education: Changing the delivery of computer science education
Year:
1998

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Visualization

Abstract

Using algorithm visualisation, we depict the execution of an algorithm as a sequence of graphical snapshots, the viewing of which is controlled by the user. Current evidence indicates that algorithm visualisation is most effective as a pedagogical tool when students themselves are responsible for building the visualisation from their code. This paper discusses our use of a Visualiser class in Java. By providing such a class to students, they are able to incorporate into their programs, with relative ease, effective visualisations of the algorithms that their programs implement. This leads to both better understanding of the algorithm from a conceptual perspective and better proficiency at coding the algorithm.