How to teach Java in fun way?

Hi,

I am a study group leader for a course in java. The goal of the study group is to make the students work in groups on set of problems.

The students are first year students at university. They learn basic programming concepts in Java (linked lists, doubly linked lists, generics, Queues, exceptions, etc). Every week they learn something new.

I want to make it more interesting for students. But I cannot seem to find good example for that.

Does anyone has suggestings, website, examples of what they did, etc?

Thanks!

I always like code scrambles.

You give students all the code for a solution, remove all the braces, put it all in a non-sensical order, and make students reassemble it until it compiles.

It ends up becomming as much of a jig-saw puzzle type challenge as a Java challenge, but students learn, and it's a little bit different.

That's just one idea.

-Cameron McKenzie

The students are first year students at university. They learn basic programming concepts in Java (linked lists, doubly linked lists, generics, Queues, exceptions, etc). Every week they learn something new.

Wow pretty advanced for beginning Java student- except with AP CS...

Look at Head first Java- good ideas there...

Hi

When I was teatching for the SCJP exam, we made the students them self make mock exams questions and they liked it alot :-)
We used these to make a mock examen every week for the topics to be covered.

Brgds
[ March 21, 2007: Message edited by: U Kvistborg ]

Thanks for the input. I will use it some of the suggestios.

BTW James, what they see isn't that advance, it mearly an introduction. Plus, they had another programming course prior to this one.

Thanks again.

Games:

1. Who will solve this using the shortest lines of codes ???
2. Who can optimize this ?

Concepts about structures like Ques, Link lists, stacks etc are
Best Explained when someone DRAWS figures on the board in front of you.

I stressed on "draws" and do not imply dusting out and showing already printed boards about them.

Inheritance.
Man there are tons and tons of ways to get ppl interested in this concept. Be creative here.

I remember the first thing i taught students was inheritance. and man they loved the lecture like hell.

I like lots of pictures, heaps of examples and code snippets.