Enjoying Python, processing, and Java in CS1

Abstract

Here we describe an introductory course in computer science where we combined Python, Processing, and core Java. The main reason for this structure was to make the initial contact with programming as gentle, enjoyable, and understandable as possible, while still having the power of graphics and sufficient Java knowledge for more advanced courses in computer science. This course was designed with a few informal pedagogical principles that facilitated the students' abilities to learn how to learn on their own. Informal results suggest that students may be interested in a greater diversity of programming assignments.

Introductory programming: a systematic literature review

“…Some authors address the language problem by using multiple languages in the same course. Their papers are often just descriptive in nature and positive in outlook [43,402], but Martínez-Valdés et al [418] somewhat refreshingly present their negative experience with the sequence of Scratch and Java.…”