Learning to Program with C#

1. Learning to Program with C# Quintin Cutts Department of Computing Science University of Glasgow Learning to Program with C# - 1

2. In this unit… • What is programming? • Fundamental skills for programming • Learning process to develop these skills • How is this course structured to enable you to learn to program… Learning to Program with C# - 1

3. Designer ArtistEngineer WriterInvestigator • Which do you think is the most similar to a computer programmer? Learning to Program with C# - 1

4. What does a programmer do? • Crafts/designs/writes/engineers a model of some aspect of the real world… • solving a problem • simulating an activity • assisting us to complete some task • Must understand the aspect thoroughly • must be able to investigate/analyse it Learning to Program with C# - 1

5. Model – Description of the world • Points to consider • Accuracy of models • Purpose of models • Building materials for models • Consider following examples • building toy boats etc • master ship-builders models • weather forecasting Learning to Program with C# - 1

6. Models in programming… • Accuracy • defined by the particular problem to be solved – no need to be more accurate than required • Purpose • stated in the problem specification • defines a mini-world • Building materials… Learning to Program with C# - 1

7. Building Materials for programs • The set of concepts that can be described with a programming language • In essence, a PL supports description of • the components of the real world scenario • the actions/activities/processes that take place between those components • Most PLs work in the same general way Learning to Program with C# - 1

8. Examples • Banking system • Components for accounts and for ATMs • Actions to update/query account balances, set overdraft levels, display info on ATM • Word processor • Components to represent the text • Actions to add, to delete characters from the text store, to update the display Learning to Program with C# - 1

9. Two Skills Required to Program • Deciding what components and activities are required • Investigator, Designer, Engineer, Artist • Developing descriptions of these using the programming language • Writer, Artist, Engineer • All backed up by fundamental concepts in the programming language Learning to Program with C# - 1

10. A Framework for Learning • Programming is a doing activity… • Cannot be read about in books • although fundamental concepts can • Skills must be developed by practising on real examples • Separate environments • Investigation/design environment • Writing/testing environment • Learning can/should take place both away from and in front of computers Learning to Program with C# - 1

11. Course Resources • This series of lecture slides • Introduces concepts • Demonstrates the skills • Written description of the content • To be used alongside the lectures • Series of study packs • One for course unit • Attempt these as soon as possible after the lecture to reinforce knowledge and practise skills Learning to Program with C# - 1

12. “Why hasn’t C# been mentioned” • Programming skills are relatively independent of language • We could use one of a number of languages • C# is a sound choice for a first language and has the benefit of upcoming popularity • Your next language will be very much easier to learn Learning to Program with C# - 1

13. Summary • Many qualities required in a programmer • Programming involves model building • Programming language fundamentals define what models can be built • Remember components and actions • Two fundamental skills • Deciding on the components and actions • Describing them using the PL • Proficiency in programming requires continual practice • and so here is the first study pack… Learning to Program with C# - 1