At Delaware State University, the second semester of the freshman year is a pivotal moment for computer science and information technology students. This is when they take on Java, a course designed to solidify their understanding of object-oriented programming, inheritance, and algorithm development.
We spoke with Dr. Marwan Rasamny, Chair of Physics, Engineering, Mathematics, and Computer Science about how this course is set up.
The course focuses on more than just syntax; it challenges students to think critically about problem-solving and software design. The ability to comprehend and understand object-oriented programming and inheritance is key.
Dr. Rasamny highlights that "students need to develop algorithms and then implement them using all the different constructs in Java."
One of the biggest hurdles students face is learning to break down complex problems into manageable solutions. "They have to take a problem, understand it, find a solution, and then convert that solution into Java," Dr. Rasamny explains.
To help students bridge this gap, he requires them to write out algorithms as comments before they start coding—a technique that reinforces structured thinking.
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