Learn to Teach Java: Sequences, Primitive Types and Using Objects from Coursera

Get started with the basics of Java, and prepare to teach others using the free, online interactive CS Awesome textbook. In this course for teachers we'll guide you both in learning Java concepts and skills but also in how to effectively teach those to your students.

This course will support you in teaching the Advanced Placement Computer Science A course or a similar introductory university-level programming course. We'll begin with simple instruction sequences, primitive types, and using objects, as covered in the APCS A Units 1 and 2. Each topic will begin by relating Java to block-based programming languages and then provide video overviews of CS Awesome content along with additional materials to supplement learning for your students.

You'll engage with additional materials to support your teaching including "deep dive" classroom discussion questions and assessment overviews and options for your students.

What's inside

Syllabus

Welcome!

Meet Dr. Simon and fellow learners in this class! Find out what you’ll be doing and learning.

Sequences of Instructions and Primitive Types (Unit 1): Learn as a Student

Instructions are the basic building blocks for programs. The sentences in our "essay", if you will (not a popular analogy for students - but true). Using CS Awesome, we'll learn some basic instructions in Java -- which focus more on storing and manipulating data (numbers and words) than we did in most block-based programming languages.

Sequences of Instructions and Primitive Types (Unit 1): Teacher Powerup

This week we'll go deeper and engage with some resources to support your teaching. You'll explore some questions to use in classroom analysis discussions (Peer Instruction), learn how these concepts are commonly assessed, and prepare to help students who are having trouble with CS Awesome assessments. Finally, you can check your own Unit 1 Java and Java Teacher mastery on our end of Unit 1 quizzes.

Using Objects (Unit 2): Learn as a Student

One of the key features of Java (as well as some other modern programming languages) is that it is "object-oriented" -- that we can design programs based around modeling of objects as a combination of data and methods (or actions) on that data. Using CS Awesome, we'll learn how to use already defined classes (classes are types of objects), to increase our power in solving problems in Java.

Using Objects (Unit 2): Teacher Powerup

This week we'll go deeper and engage with some resources to support your teaching. You'll explore some questions to use in classroom analysis discussions (Peer Instruction), learn how these concepts are commonly assessed, and prepare to help students who are having trouble with CS Awesome assessments. Finally, you can check your own Unit 2 Java and Java Teacher mastery on our end of Unit 2 quizzes.

Good to know

Know what's good

, what to watch for

, and possible dealbreakers

Develops beginner-level Java skills and knowledge, which are useful for personal growth and development

Offers instructor support, guidance, and helpful resources, which benefit all learners

Provides video overviews of CS Awesome content and additional materials, which enhance understanding

Relevant to students, teachers, and other individuals preparing to teach introductory university-level programming courses

Taught by recognized experts, Dr. Simon, which builds credibility in the content

This course has a multi-modal format with a mix of media, such as videos, readings, and discussions

Reviews summary

Highly rated introductory java course

According to students, Learn to Teach Java: Sequences, Primitive Types and Using Objects is a highly rated introductory course to Java programming. Learners say that the instructor teaches the course in a clear and friendly way. The videos are worth watching and the course material is excellent. All students have found the course to be beneficial, even those who already have some programming experience.

The course videos and materials are excellent.

"The course videos are really really worth watching and CS Awesome Material is Wonderful."

The instructor teaches the course in a friendly and clear way.

"The Professor taught the course in a friendly way, she went through each of the concepts in a clear and precise way such that anyone can understand."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Learn to Teach Java: Sequences, Primitive Types and Using Objects with these activities:

Review CS Awesome

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Reviewing CS Awesome will bring to mind concepts you may need to know before beginning your Java journey. Reviewing concepts you may have forgotten about will help you better prepare for learning Java.

Browse courses on Java

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Read through the CS Awesome material
Try out the interactive examples and exercises

Refamiliarize yourself with Math Concepts

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A basic understanding of math concepts will help you to learn how to code in Java. By reviewing these concepts before the course starts, you will be better prepared to tackle the programming challenges ahead.

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Review your notes or textbooks from previous math courses
Take practice problems to test your understanding

Create a MadLib in Java

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Creating a program using Java will give you some hands-on experience with the language. This will be good preparation for the programming you will be doing throughout the course.

Browse courses on Java

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Read through a simple Java example program
Come up with a story and select words to be replaced with user input
Create a Java program to collect the user input and print the MadLib story

Four other activities

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Oracle Java Tutorials for Beginners

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The Oracle Java Tutorials are a comprehensive resource for learning Java. This resource will give you a place to explore more about Java and fill in any gaps in your understanding.

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Read through the section on Java Basics
Try out some of the tutorials, such as Creating a Simple Java Program or Using Variables in Java

Write a tutorial blog post

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Writing a blog post about Java will give you an opportunity to synthesize what you are learning in the course and demonstrate your understanding. This can be a valuable way to help you prepare for teaching Java concepts and skills.

Browse courses on Java

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Choose a specific Java topic to focus your blog post on
Research the topic and gather information from various sources
Write a blog post that is clear, concise, and engaging
Share your blog post with others

HackerRank Java Challenges

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Working through some Java challenges on HackerRank will help you to practice your Java skills and assess your knowledge as you continue your coursework.

Browse courses on Java

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Sign up for a HackerRank account
Select a few Java challenges to work through
Submit your solutions and review the feedback

Create a Java Portfolio

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Creating a portfolio of your Java projects will provide you with a way to showcase your skills and knowledge. This portfolio can be a great addition to your resume and help you to stand out from other job candidates.

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Select several of your best Java projects
Create a portfolio website or use a platform such as GitHub or LinkedIn to showcase your projects
Write a brief description of each project, highlighting your skills and accomplishments

Career center

Learners who complete Learn to Teach Java: Sequences, Primitive Types and Using Objects will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Software Developer

Software Developers can benefit from this course. It covers object-oriented programming using Java, which is used to develop software.

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Computer and Information Systems Manager

Computer and Information Systems Managers can benefit from the topics covered in this course because the ability to build programs using Java is an important part of their role. Those who plan to enter this field may want to take this course to build a foundation in the knowledge and skills used to design enterprise-scale solutions for data storage, organizing and safeguarding electronic information.

See salaries and explore the career path for Computer and Information Systems Manager

Computer Scientist

Computer Scientists who wish to help cultivate the next generation of computer scientists can benefit from taking this course. It will enable them to develop strategies for teaching programming and for using online tools to facilitate the learning process. Those wishing to enter this field can take this course for a foundation in Java, which is widely used to develop enterprise-scale software.

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Web Developer

Web Developers can benefit from this course as it provides a foundation in Java, which is used to develop web applications and web services.

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Information Systems Manager

Information Systems Managers may benefit from this course as it teaches programming using Java, which is often used to design enterprise-scale solutions for data storage, organizing and safeguarding electronic information.

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Data Scientist

Data Scientists can benefit from this course since it teaches programming using Java, an important programming language used to develop data science algorithms and to build enterprise-scale software.

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Information Technology Project Manager

Information Technology Project Managers who are interested in managing the development of software applications will find this course beneficial. It teaches Java, which is often used to develop enterprise-scale software.

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Database Administrator

Database Administrators may find this course helpful and can use their knowledge to develop database security applications.

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Software Engineer

Software Engineers who design software for a wide range of industries will likely find many of the topics in this course useful.

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Systems Analyst

Systems Analysts who wish to specialize in designing software applications may find this course useful.

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Data Analyst

Data Analysts may find this course useful. Topics such as Java and its object-oriented programming paradigm can be important for this role and this course could help build a foundation in these skills.

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Information Security Analyst

Information Security Analysts may find this course helpful. It can provide a foundation in the fundamentals of Java, which is used in web and mobile applications across industries.

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Network Architect

This course may be helpful to Network Architects as it teaches Java, which is often used to develop applications for networking and data warehousing.

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Software Quality Assurance Analyst

This course may be useful to Software Quality Assurance Analysts who wish to expand their knowledge of Java and object-oriented programming.

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Computer Hardware Engineer

This course may be of use to Computer Hardware Engineers who wish to expand their knowledge of programming and software design.

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