This course helps students to develop problem solving skills and solving problems using programming languages. Students are introduced to fundamentals of Java programming with emphasis on object oriented approach, including primitive data types, control structures, methods, objects, classes, class inheritance. By the end of the semester, students will begin to apply object oriented approach to create simple graphical user interface and to write event driven programs.

Prerequisite :Successful completion of ITP 100 or equivalent knowledge of structured and object oriented programming concepts. It is assumed that students possess college level reading, writing, and computational skills and are familiar with Microsoft Windows (XP, Vista or Windows 7) operating system or MAC systems.

To provide the student with a general working knowledge of program development using the Java programming language, including the development of Java classes and application.

Specific Objectives: Upon completion of this course, the student should be able to:

• Download AND install Java JDK from the Internet.
• Download, install, and configure Textpad or JGrasp from the Internet.  These are the editors into which the Java program will be entered, compiled and executed. 
• Introduction to Java Applications (Java Application classes):  Students will learn to code, compile and run a basic Java application program. Introductory assignment statements and operators will be covered.
• Control Structures:  Students will learn how to develop control structures using structured programming techniques such as iteration (looping) and decision (if-then-else).
• Strings and Character Manipulation:  Students will discover how to use string and character manipulation statements.
• Methods:  Students will learn how to write new Java methods, which is a way to develop and maintain a large program through construction of small, simple pieces or modules.
• Arrays:  Students will learn to use arrays or lists which are a group of related items.  Also known as a data structure in Java.
• Inheritance and Polymorphism:  Students will learn the use of Inheritance and Polymorphism.  Inheritance allows for the creation of new classes from existing classes by absorbing their attributes and behaviors.  These attributes and behaviors can also be enhanced by introducing the concept of overriding. Polymorphism allows for the addition of new capabilities to a system.
• Classes:  Student will learn how to write new pure classes (such as those found in the Java API or the existing Java library).  They will not be added to the library, but students will write programs (Java Application classes) creating and using objects of those classes.
• GUI or Graphical User Interface:  Students will learn to create Graphical (Windows) user interfaces in both pure classes and application classes.  Although listed last, both creation of new pure classes and use of simple GUI will be required in 3 of the 5 programming assignments.

For questions about this course, please contact the instructor by email at bholt@nvcc.edu.

Course Grades

Student grades are determined based upon exams, and a combination of projects (also called assignments or homework), initial email, and discussion forum postings. All projects have due dates and penalties may occur for projects which are submitted after the due date.  Students are required to contact the instructor BEFORE the due date with any issues that might arise and may be asked to present proof of the circumstances.

The quiz is not proctored and is open book, open notes, and open returned projects.

Exams are proctored and are open book, open notes, and open returned projects.

The .java files that apply to each project are to be attached to an email addressed   to the instructor.   The sent date on the email is the submission date.   Some projects WILL have more than one file, others will have ONLY 1 file to submit.

Your final grade may be based on the following scale. Please note that you must also pass the quiz and both exams in order to pass the course, regardless of your scores on the other assignments.

There are 2 exams in this course.

Last Updated: Nov 7, 2011