Objectives and features of e-learning oriented programming courseware for freshmen

Iwaki Meisei University, a popular university in Japan, has developed e-Learning oriented Programming Courseware for freshmen using the authoring tool Hiplus, Hitachi Ltd., Japan, at the Department of Electronics and Computer Science. Department freshmen are required to use this Programming Courseware. This courseware consists of two parts: specification of requirement and verification of program validity. Both parts address the need for support by logical thinking in addition to production of software documents by a natural language. Using it, a modern programmer can use a dedicated algorithm which handles a newly developed object once a software requirement has been formally specified Moreover freshmen are able to assess their own learning progress due to graded exercises configured in the Programming Courseware.