Inheritance and Method Overriding

After a recap about classes and data types in Java we will expand our knowledge about object-oriented programming today.
Two important ideas we will be learning about are inheritance and method overriding.
Inheritance means that a new class, called a subclass, inherits all the attributes and all the methods of an existing class, called the superclass, and extends it with its own attributes and methods.
Java also allows to adapt and re-write the methods from the superclass in the subclass. We call this "method overriding". By this each object of the superclass can be of a specific subclass. In object-oriented programming this is known as polymorphism. Watch today's presentation.

Homework
Answer the review questions about classes in Java.

Classes and Data Types in Java

After a closer look at the HelloWorld program (see presentation: How Java Programs work?) we are transferring our knowledge about classes from Alice to Java today.
By doing that you will also learn about variables and primitive data types in Java. You have seen data types for parameters of methods in Alice, but we have never talked about variables.
Variables can be used to store and manipulate values for the properties of a class. Those properties are called attributes in Java.
The presentation Java Classes and Data Types will help you to understand the details.

Java Programs in Eclipse

Today we are taking it one step further: Instead of working with Notepad and the primitive command line interpreter for writing, compiling and running Java programs, we are using Eclipse from now on.
Eclipse is an integrated development environment that makes it easier for you to write Java programs. It is a well known program used by professional software engineers. We are exploring Eclipse by writing and extending the HelloWorld program. Watch the Eclipse presentation for details.

Homework
Answer the review questions on Eclipse.

Introduction to Java

To prepare for the first term test we will be reviewing all the bits and pieces we have learned about so far in Term 3 using the review sheet.
After that we are going learn and practice how to write, compile and run our first Java program. It will make the computer say: "Hello World".
The "Introduction to Java" and the vocabulary puzzle will help you.

Homework
Prepare for the upcoming test on Monday, April 20, 2009: Know about

• Recursion,
• the basics about Java,
• careers at EA, and
• the history of programming languages.

Review Programming Languages

In our class today (only until noon) we are finishing our unit about the history of programming languages. Make sure you are able to solve the matching puzzle. Then you will be well prepared for the upcoming test on Monday, April 20.

Homework
Answer at least 10 of the 20 review questions.

Happy Easter !!!!

Play the Discovery Game

To discover facts about the history of programming languages we are playing the discovery game you have been creating last time in class. I have seen everybody working hard in their expert teams and so I am looking forward to this morning. Weather permitting we will be outside and combine our game with an Easter egg hunt.

Homework
Read the article: "A Brief History of Programming Languages".

ICT @ EA

Today we had an interesting field trip to EA in Burnaby. Mr. James Banting, one of their software engineers, introduced us to career opportunities in the gaming industry and we learned interesting things about life at EA. Here are some photos, shot by our host Mrs. Wendell Harlow.

If you want to test some new games at EA visit their sign-up page.