Media Programming — Open & Free

Learning objectives by module

Unit 1: Main Course Content for Introduction to Programming for Non Programmers

• Module 1: Introduction to Programming
  • Compile a method to turn it into something the computer understands
  • Compile and run a file
  • Create and initialize objects using the new keyword, and initialize those objects by passing in important information at creation time.
  • Deconstruct a problem and use pseudocode to sketch out a solution that you can translate into Java. Use that pseudocode to comment and explain your code
  • Execute a method it to try it out
  • Execute simple Java statements
  • Explain how casting converts between different types and why you might need it
  • Explain how to use Java’s library to set Turtle’s pen color
  • Explan what types are and how they affect the output of Java math statements
  • Help the instructor find out what went right and wrong
  • Learn about some basics for programming neatly.
  • Open a file
  • Send messages to objects asking them to do something using a series of Java statements
  • Show how to make a method more reusable
  • Test your grasp of the material
  • Understand how computers use binary numbers.
  • Understand how to change the value of a variable
  • Understand rules for declaring variables
  • Understand the difference between a primitive and object variable
  • Understand the impact of counting from 0 instead of 1.
  • Understand the meaning of words like program, object, class, and so on
  • Understand the role of naming in different components of a program
  • Understand what a compiler is for.
  • Understand what a programming language is.
  • Understand what an object or class is.
  • Understand what an operator is and some examples
  • Use a variable to store data or objects and explain what an object variable is
  • Use Java math and relational operators
  • Use Turtles to draw simple shapes
• Module 2: Manipulating Images: Loops and Arrays
  • Be able to convert from one type of loop to another
  • Create a piece of code that implements an algorithm, and test it.
  • Explain how casting converts between different types and why you might need it
  • Import a class from a package
  • Learn about pictures and how they are represented in a program
  • Learn what a for each loop is and how to use it
  • Learn what a What a for loop is and how to use it
  • Learn what a while loop is and how to use it
  • Learn what loops are, and some conventions for writing loops such as using ++ and declaring variables outside the loop
  • Trace your code to understand how your algorithm works and make sure it does what you expect
  • Understand and use a 2D array
  • Understand and use an array
  • Understand how Java uses evaluation and substitution to interpret your code
  • Understand that picture files are made up of pixels and how pixels are represented
  • Understand the coordinate system for pixels and how to retrieve one
  • Understand the difference between files and memory.
  • Understand the relative advantages of using different loops for repeating statements
  • Understand what a literal is and how it differs from a variable or an expression
  • Understand what an algorithm is
  • Understanding the scope within which a variable is accessible
  • Use the Picture Explorer to explore an image
• Module 3: Fun with Images: Nested Loops and Two-Dimensional Arrays
  • Copy parts of a picture from one picture to another.
  • Copy pictures to other pictures with 90 degree rotation left or right
  • Copy pixels from one image to another.
  • Create a piece of code that implements an algorithm, and test it.
  • Create concrete examples of simple versions of a problem to make it easier to generate an algorithm that solves it.
  • Declare, initialize, and use multiple variables within a for loop.
  • How to save a picture to disk
  • How to scale pictures up and down
  • Know how to mirror a picture vertically and horizontally.
  • Learn about image algorithms
  • Learning about how to convert an image into grayscale and how to adjust it based on perceived colors
  • Learning about how to negate an image
  • Make methods generic by using parameters
  • Understand and use a 2D array
  • Understand how to convert from a single loop to a nested loop
  • Understand nested loops and how they allow you to manipulate two-dimensional objects.
  • Understand the coordinate system for pixels and how to retrieve one
  • Understand what an algorithm is
  • Understand what makes a good method and rewrite methods to make your code more reusable and get rid of redundant code.
• Module 4: Conditionals and Drawing: Making Images a bit more interesting
  • Bitmapped pictures versus vector graphics
  • Explain inheritance and understand how it impacts your code
  • How (and why) to use the java.awt.Graphics2D class
  • How to change the background on a picture
  • How to clip a picture to a shape
  • How to conditionally execute a statement or block of statements
  • How to create and paint the object to be painted
  • How to create image collages
  • How to do a general scale method using the java.awt.geom.AffineTransform class
  • How to do chroma key
  • How to do simple edge detection
  • How to draw simple shapes on an image
  • How to draw text on top of an image
  • How to draw with a gradient paint and what it is
  • How to posterize an image
  • How to remove red-eye from a picture
  • How to sepia-tint a picture
  • How to set the color to draw with
  • How to set the color, paint, and stroke (paint brush) for the Graphics2D class
  • How to set the font to write with
  • How to test for values in ranges
  • How to use ‘and’, ‘or’, ‘exclusive or’ and ‘not’ in a conditional
  • How to use conditionals with 2 possibilities
  • How to use conditionals with more than 2 possibilities
  • What an interface is and what it is used for
• Module 5: Creating your own classes
  • Create a class that simulates a number game
  • Create methods in your Java objects to perform calculations and manipulate the state of the objects.
  • Create methods to access and modify various information stored within your object.
  • Declare a class
  • Declare a main method to perform the task desired.
  • Deconstruct a problem into objects, and assign methods (skills) and fields (data to each object.
  • Explain inheritance and understand how it impacts your code
  • Import a class from a package
  • Inherit from a class
  • Override parent methods
  • Practice going from requirements to class definitions and field declarations
  • Understand how method invocations are resolved
  • Understand implicit calls to super() and how to call parent constructors
  • Understand random number generators
  • Understand the difference between a class method and an object method, and between a class field and an object field.
  • Understand what a constructor does and write a constructor
  • Use a compiler error to find and fix bugs
  • Use a debugger to find bugs
• Module 6: Graphical User Interfaces: Creation, Layout and Event Handling
  • Advanced information on events
  • How to position components within a GUI using a layout manager
  • Learn how to add a button to a GUI
  • Learn how to add a list to a GUI
  • Learn how to change visual attributes to interface elements
  • Learn how to create a basic frame window
  • Learn how to create and use an event listener
  • Learn how to handle user interface events
  • Learn how to use a library of classes provided by someone else, and the difference between a library and a programming language
  • Learn to create graphical components using Swing
  • Understand the concept of binding and why it is relevant to event handling
  • Understand what an anonymous inner class is, and how to use it for event handling
  • Understand what GUIs are and how to create them

Unit 2: Appendix

• Module 10: Java details
  • Import a class from a package
  • Use a compiler error to find and fix bugs
  • Use a debugger to find bugs
• Module 11: Dr. Java
  • Add Java code for a new class to that file
  • Compile and run a file
  • Create a new file in Dr. Java
  • Download, install, and set up Dr Java
  • Execute simple Java statements
  • Figure out what version of Java is installed on your machine
  • Open a file
  • Save, compile, and run the class
  • Use Dr. Java’s history