This paper describes how we are designing a set of plug-ins to improve teaching and learning of Java programming. Based on requirements gathered from key project stakeholders, the plug-ins include perspectives for both students and instructors. These plug-ins are being developed as part of the Gild project. The paper summarizes our design process from requirements gathering through to initial tool evaluation. In particular, it details the student perspective and describes how it addresses many pedagogical issues facing computer science educators today. Gild is currently deployed and in use at the University of Victoria.
The SHriMP (Simple Hierarchical Multi-Perspective) visualization technique was designed to enhance how people browse and explore complex information spaces. SHriMP uses a nested graph view to present information that is hierarchically structured. It introduces the concept of nested interchangeable views to allow a user to explore multiple perspectives of information at different levels of abstraction. SHriMP combines a hypertext following metaphor with animated panning and zooming motions over the nested graph to provide continuous orientation and contextual cues for the user. In this demo, we show how these ideas are proving useful in the areas of software visualization, knowledge management and flow diagram visualization.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.