Abstract:

This paper focuses on presenting our experiences in teaching software development courses at the undergraduate level in Croatia and, more specifically, programming in Java, as one of the most popular general-purpose programming languages with high demand on the job market, additionally enhanced with various distance learning methods, services and tools, and with the support of the Oracle Academy program and the Croatian Java User Association (HUJAK). Higher education faced one of the biggest challenges in decades, the COVID-19 pandemics, which drastically, sharply, and on a global scale changed the way lecturers and students interact, how classes are delivered, and how knowledge assessments are conducted. Those who were able to successfully manage this disruptive change quickly gain a competitive advantage, and learning software development and the skill of programming were not an exception.

As an example of a successful adaptation in this challenging situation of the global pandemic, we were able to successfully deliver, without any disruption, all our software development courses within our Web and Mobile Computing (WMC) undergraduate program. With various adaptations in the mode of delivery, we introduced blended and online versions of our programming-related courses and, in particular, in introductory and advanced courses in Java programming.

We provided several ways of delivery, combining synchronous and asynchronous online and remote delivery modes, as well as various distance learning methods, technologies, internal and external services and tools, within our technology-enhanced remote learning environment, resembling the in-class experience as much as possible. In this process, we were additionally supported by the Oracle Academy program courseware, freely available for all educational institutions worldwide, providing a range of benefits, ranging from access to software products, professional development opportunities for faculty, and the provision of educational materials.

Within the Oracle Academy program, Java courseware is modular with clearly indicated learning objectives, thus enabling faculty to incorporate entire modules or individual topics into existing classes. Based on the level of experience and prior knowledge, instructors can select from several courses designed for beginners (Java Fundations and Fundamentals) or intermediate learners (Java Programming), as well as more specific courses for advanced users (Artificial Intelligence with Machine Learning in Java). It can be mapped and aligned to many relevant standards and certifications, including the European Qualification Framework (EQF). The recent addition to the program also enables the delivery of these courses using Oracle Cloud, thus simplifying and facilitating their set-up and delivery to students.

This paper describes several aspects of the delivery of our Java programming courses in the time of the global pandemic, including our experiences with various tools and services and delivery modes, as well as case study observations of how Java programming courses in higher education in Croatia could be successfully enhanced with the support of external educational programs such as Oracle Academy incentivized by the local Java community. We believe that we provided an efficient way to teach our programming-related courses and offer high-quality education in correspondence with global trends in teaching software development and learning programming skills.

Keywords:

Software Development, Programming, Java, Technology-Enhanced Learning, Educational Services, Oracle Academy.