Teaching Java programming with the Informa clicker system

This paper describes the use of clickers in a Java programming course. However, instead of using ordinary hardware clickers, we use software clickers, implemented in Java, that allow for much richer problem types than the traditional multiple-choice question. The problem types we introduce in this paper give students a much higher degree of freedom in solving a problem, and thus more opportunities for making mistakes. We look at mistakes as learning opportunities, and we introduce a pedagogical approach that allows students to learn from mistakes of their peers. We finish with a case study and an evaluation of our approach based on the detailed analysis of its use in two semesters of an undergraduate Java programming course.

► Informa is a clicker solution that supports teaching Java programming.
► Informa does not require hardware clickers.
► It provides a rich set of problem types beyond simple multiple-choice questions.
► Our pedagogical approach allows students to learn from mistakes of their peers.
► We found that Informa significantly improved our teaching.