Combining Analogies and Virtual Reality for Active and Visual Object-Oriented Programming

Abstract

Understanding object-oriented programming (OOP) and its underlying concepts is essential in any computing-related field. However, learning the OOP concepts is often daunting for novice programmers due to their abstract nature. This paper presents a systematic approach of creating interactive learning activities for OOP concepts aligned with fundamental learning outcomes and misconceptions. The strategy combines analogies and visualisation to deliver concepts without students feeling distracted or overwhelmed by the technicalities inherent in textual code. A virtual reality implementation was developed, to help promote immersion and engagement with the abstract OOP concepts. The app was evaluated with CS2 students (n=17), with the results showing a significant improvement in students' ability to visualise the targeted OOP concepts. Students responded positively and agreed it was an effective learning tool to complement lectures.