IWAVE: Interactive Web-based Algorithm Visualization Environment

This report discusses one of the challenges faced in the teaching and learning of introductory computer programming. The demographic of students has changed considerably in recent years, and teaching styles must adapt accordingly to suit the change in learning styles. Some of the issues involved in making these changes are discussed, before introducing a method for calculating the relative difficultly of a concept based on the submission rate and average mark of its exercises. This method was applied to the results of students’ programming exercises throughout a semester to identify one concept area that is particularly problematic - Arrays. A customized visual learning environment for interactive animation of programming code was developed, allowing students to visualize code and the affects of any changes they make. In addition, a deployment wizard was developed to allow a practitioner to integrate the learning environment with their existing learning material with minimal effort. These tools were then used to create a demonstration learning resource targeted towards the concept of Arrays