Object-Oriented Programming in High Schools the Turing Way

Abstract

This paper proposes an approach to introducing object-oriented concepts to high school computer science students using the Object-Oriented Turing (OOT) language. Students can learn about basic object-oriented (OO) principles such as classes and inheritance by using and expanding a collection of classes that draw pictures like circles and happy faces. Materials are outlined for a two-week teaching unit which support this approach. The units cover: (1) three foundational OO concepts: objects, classes and inheritance; (2) diagrams and relations; (3) software development environments; (4) the OOT language and environment; (5) OOT in an undergraduate curriculum; and (6) OOT at the high school level. (Contains 17 references.) (Author/BEW)