Programming Education Based on the Computer Graphics Animation



Download 14.15 Kb.
Date20.10.2016
Size14.15 Kb.
#6951
Programming Education Based on the Computer Graphics Animation
Yoshiaki Shindo

Nippon Institute of Technology

E-mail : shindo@nit.ac.jp



Abstract
In the department that is related to Computer or Information Engineering, the chair of computer programming may be required subject. To reduce the failure of this lecture and to aid the understanding of the essence of computer programming, we developed new teaching method named Program Reading Practice. Program Reading Practice is the interactive lecture style using a Training Kit Programs based on the Computer Graphics Animation named WinTK. Students read the source codes of these programs, which are designed for attracting the interest of student. Then teacher shows the visual subject or Graphics Animation on the teacher's instruction screen and instructs to re-write (modify or extend) the source code like this. Students have to read source codes carefully and to modify or extend these after repeated trial and error. Because the WinTK includes the framework of Graphics programming, students can concentrate on the technical subject. Therefore, students can acquire the construction method of computer programs in many cases. We have done this practice for Five years and we are confirmed in the effect of the Program Reading Practice.
1. Introduction

We opened several chairs of computer programming education using C language. To reduce the failure of these lectures and to aid the understanding of the essence of computer programming, we developed new teaching method named Program Reading Practice [1][2][3]. It is the interactive lecture style using a Training Kit Programs based on the Computer Graphics Animation named WinTK. Students read the source codes of these programs, which have a visual representation, a proper scale, and an excellent coding structure, which are designed for attracting the interest of student. Then teacher shows the visual subject or Graphics Animation on the teacher's instruction screen (placed besides the student) and instructs to re-write (modify or extend) the source code like this. Students have to read source codes carefully and to modify or extend these after repeated trial and error. (Named Program Re-write Practice.)

Finally, students have to write their own programs as the Final Work by using the WinTK framework, those are evaluated as a grade WinTK includes four kinds of Programs. WinTK-1 is most basic training kit for elementary class and WinTK-2 and WinTK-3 are designed for learning the Event-Driven programming and simple data structure. WinTK-4 is based on the 3D Computer Graphics Animation for learning the software design technique. This paper describes the effect of Program Reading Practice with WinTK and the detail analysis of the student’s impression.


2. Program Reading Practice
We opened the chair of elementary programming education at first. WinTK-1 is most basic training kit including 14 source codes of Rabbit Animation programs those are designed for learning the Control structure (while, for, if - else and function) and Data structure (array, structure and pointer) of C language.

Next chair is the Event-Driven programming education by using WinTK-2 and WinTK-3. WinTK-2 is the interactive software with Key and Mouse Events including 10 source codes for making the Paint Tool. WinTK-3 is the Photo-Realistic Animation programs (Computer Aquarium) including 7 source codes for learning the Multi-Task programming, the file access programming and complicated data structure.




Finally, We opened the chair of software design education by using WinTK-4, which includes 21 source codes based on the 3 D Computer Graphics Animation. To reduce the burden of student, WinTK-4 provides the software components as follows.


  1. OpenGL Frameworks.(Setup Frame Buffer and View)

  2. Interactive modeling tool for 3D-Shaped object.

  3. 3D-Shaped Virtual Animals library.( 30 animals)

  4. Extended Graphics Library.( To reduce the difficulty of OpenGL programming)

5) Training kit programs. (21 programs)
Training kit programs show how to design and write the 3D Computer Graphics Animation titled Dragon Adventure step by step. Student study about the implementation of Camera Work, Dragon’s walking through and Dragon’s Body Action.

Students read the source codes of WinTK-4 to learn the structure of program modules and the design of user interface items (Menu, DialogBox, etc.)


3. Program Re-write Practice

In Program Reading Practice, the most important exercise is Program Re-write Practice. The aim of Program Re-write Practice is to understand the program construction step by step.

  1. Students read the source code of training kit program to understand the technical subjects.

  2. Then, teacher shows some visual subjects on the instruction screen (Figure 5) and instructs to re-write (modify or extend) the source code like this.

  3. Students have to modify the program by inserting or editing the source code.

  4. Finally, teacher shows the Graphics Animation and instructs to extend the program like this.

  5. Students have to work hard to extend the program after repeated trial and error.


4. The Final Work Program
At the last of chair, students have to write their own programs as the Final Work by using the WinTK framework; those are evaluated as a grade. Teacher shows several themes and students have to choose one of them. Figure 6 is outstanding program of the Final Work. In order to examine the acquired level of the students, we investigated the contents of programs.

5. Results of Program Reading Practice

We did the questionnaire to investigate the effect of Program Reading Practice past Five years. Figure 7 shows the ratio of students who got a confidence of programming. We also investigated the student’s impression of the practice. Figure 8 shows the impression of degree of difficulty.

These charts let us confirm the effect of Program Reading Practice in the programming education of university.


6. References


  1. Y.Shindo,H.Matsuda and M.Mukuda: "Programming Education Based on the Computer Graphics Animation: Program Training Kit: WinTK", 4th Global Chinese Conference on Computers in Education, Teaching and Learning in the New Millennium GCCE2000 Proceedings,Singapole,Volume2, pp.592-599 (2000)

  2. H.Matsuda, Y.Shindo and M.Mukuda: “Program Reading Practice using Programming Training kit: WinTK” Advanced Research in Computers and Communications in Education, ICCE’99, Vol.2 pp.854-855 (1999).

  3. H.Matsuda, Y.Shindo and M.Mukuda: “A Programming Training Kit: WinTK” Japan Universities Association for Computer Education, Journal of the Educational Application of Information Technologies, Vol.1 No.1 pp31-36 (Nov1998).

Download 14.15 Kb.

Share with your friends:




The database is protected by copyright ©ininet.org 2024
send message

    Main page