Using course-long programming projects in CS2

Abstract

A typical CS2 course has two goals that often work at cross-purposes. One goal is to teach students how to apply a variety of software engineering skills to create solutions to real-world problems. A second goal is to teach students the theory and practice behind classical algorithms and data structures. The use of small, short-term programming assignments, however, tends to sacrifice the first goal in favor of the second. We successfully experimented with solving this problem by organizing a CS2 course around a programming project that spanned an entire term. This paper describes the project, our experiences in using it, and the reactions of the students.