Do you teach objects and object-orientation? Do you teach an objects-first CS1, or perhaps an advanced course in OO design and modeling? If you're a CS educator who is interested in sharing teaching techniques or exploring pedagogical issues in a workshop setting, this workshop may be for you!

The "Killer Examples" workshop has been held at OOPSLA since 2002. The goal of this workshop series has been to tap into the expertise of the OOPSLA community to improve the teaching of object orientation. Past workshops have focused on design patterns. This year the workshop theme is "process in OO pedagogy".

The Jargon File defines a killer app as an "application that actually makes a sustaining market for a promising but under-utilized technology." A killer example provides clear and compelling motivation for some concept. The theme of this workshop is killer examples for process in oo pedagogy.

Today's computer science students are tomorrow's software developers. As such they will be expected to design and implement solutions to complex problems. Object orientation is an excellent approach to managing the complexity of large, real-world software systems. Many educators have been slow to adopt, or unsuccessful at adopting, or worse, reluctant to try adopting, an object oriented approach, especially in CS1-CS2 courses. We believe part of the difficulty stems from educators lacking a sound pedagogy for teaching newcomers to object orientation (be they beginning students or seasoned professionals trying to move into the OO arena) how to "think in objects". Another part of the difficulty lies in students not being given a clear and effective process for tackling problems in an OO way.

There are two ways to participate: you can either submit to present a short paper, or you may apply to attend as a discussant. Either way you will have plenty of opportunity to talk about process and sound pedagogy for teaching object orientation.

The deadline for submissions/applications is September 3, 2007, but earlier submissions are encouraged.

If you have questions about the workshop, do not hesitate to contact us at alphonce(at)cse(dot)buffalo(dot)edu, with subject line "OOPSLA-2007 Workshop Query".

Carl Alphonce, University at Buffalo, USA
Jürgen Börstler, Umeå University, Sweden
Michael Caspersen, Univeristy of Aarhus, Denmark
Adrienne Decker, University at Buffalo, USA
Michael Kölling, University of Kent, UK