Peer Review

Object-Oriented Software Design and Construction with Java

Material Detail page

Reviewed:: Mar 27, 2003 by Information Technology

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Ratings

Overall Rating:

Content Quality:

Effectiveness:

Ease of Use:

Overview:: This site is the online version of the textbook entitled Object-Oriented
Software Design and Construction with Java, by Dr. Dennis Kafura. It is intended
to support a sophomore year course. Topics coverered in nine chapters include:
Introduction to design strategies (abstraction, separation, composition,
generalization) in object-oriented programming; structure of classes and
objects; overloaded methods; object communication, association, aggregation;
implementing classes; designing and developing a class; inheritance; building
user interfaces in Java; input/output in Java; and threads.
Type of Material:: This is essentially a textbook.It is presented as a tutorial.
Recommended Uses:: It is intended to support a person's study of object-oriented programming in
Java. Since it is the online version of the author's book, it can be used as a
textbook. It is probably not suitable for self-study, at least not for novices.
An experienced programmer who wishes to become familiar with Java might also
benefit from this book.The web site that accompanies the textbook contains
interactive.
questions and Java applets, which can be accessed with password.
Technical Requirements:: It is in HTML.A simple web browser suffices.
Identify Major Learning Goals:: Students will become proficient in the Java programming language, as well as the
theories and techniques underlying object-oriented design, including UML.
They will also learn object-oriented programming aspects of Java and to raise
the student's level of programming competence by emphasizing
reuse,tools/techniques, GUI library, and event-driven systems.
Target Student Population:: Undergraduate university students who require a thorough knowledge of
programming (e.g., undergraduates in Computer Science, Computer Engineering,
Information Technology and Information Systems).
Prerequisite Knowledge or Skills:: It is assumed that the reader has had a single preceding programming course and
knows the syntax of the basic programming constructs (decisions, iterations,
etc.) in C. An understanding of basic data structures (e.g., linked lists,
stacks) is also required.

Content Quality

Rating:
Strengths:: This is a reasonable textbook. The initial focus on the broad concepts of
object-oriented programming. The presentation of corresponding UML diagrams as
object-oriented structures are introduced. Organization of the book that takes
into account the basic concepts that underlay object-oriented programming and
the progression of the various roles assumed by a programmer in developing
software.
Concerns:: A title such as Object-oriented Programming with Java would better indicate the
content and emphasis of the book. Unfortinately, the book contains too many
spelling and typographical errors.The number of typographical errors is
excessive. There is also at least one typographical error in the programming
examples included.

Potential Effectiveness as a Teaching Tool

Rating:
Strengths:: Good coverage of object-oriented programming concepts. Consideration of the the
various roles assumed by a programmer in developing software in the sequencing
of the material. Focus on two recurring examples (an ecological simulation and
graphical user interfaces) that allows a more complete solution to a problem to
be developed as new concepts and techniques are introduced.
Concerns:: This is not material that can be used for self-study. Its effectiveness
therefore completely depends on the strength of the instructor using the
textbook in a course. Also, many of the links do not work.
Sometimes the logic behind the progression of the topics is not clear. For some
students sections of the material may lack clarity.

Ease of Use for Both Students and Faculty

Rating:
Strengths:: It is easy to use since the material is mostly organized in a sequential manner.
Concerns:: This is essentially an on-line version of a textbook. It hardly makes use of
the technology. For example, there are very few hyperlinks and navigation from
one chapter to the next forces one to go back up to the table of contents using
the back button in the browser. Also, each chapter is essentially stored as a
single large HTML page. Finally, two of the more advanced chapters seem to have
been removed and therefore are not accessible.
It would help to have more hyperlinked terms. Also several hyperlinks are not
working.

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