Title: Learning by redesigning programs: support system for understanding design policy in software design patterns

Authors: Tomoko Kojiri; Hiroki Ooe; Kazuhisa Seta

Addresses: Faculty of Engineering Science, Kansai University, 3-3-35 Yamate-cho, Suita, Osaka, 564-8680, Japan ' Faculty of Engineering Science, Kansai University, 3-3-35 Yamate-cho, Suita, Osaka, 564-8680, Japan ' Graduate School of Humanities and Sustainable System Sciences, Osaka Prefecture University, 1-1 Gakuen-cho, Nakaku, Sakai, Osaka 599-8531, Japan

Abstract: Design patterns are good designs in object-oriented design and are generated experientially by predecessors. The objective of this research is to develop a learning method for understanding the experience knowledge of developing a good design, which lies behind the design patterns. Design policy to create the design patterns can be understood deeply if learners could have similar experiences to predecessors' experience through trial and error producing the design patterns. In this paper, we propose a learning method of reliving predecessors' experience by transforming a program with a design pattern into that without a design pattern (alternative solution). Additionally, we develop a support system that encourages learners of experiencing the learning method. A support system holds the knowledge of appropriate alternative solution, which reduces the benefits of object-oriented design and generates advice so that learners can generate appropriate alternative solutions. Experimental results obtained using our support system showed that the proposed method was effective for a deep understanding of design patterns and the importance of the learning method.

Keywords: experiential knowledge; design patterns learning support; generating alternative solution; vicarious experience support.

DOI: 10.1504/IJKWI.2017.086150

International Journal of Knowledge and Web Intelligence, 2017 Vol.6 No.1, pp.35 - 50

Received: 29 Feb 2016
Accepted: 12 Jan 2017
Published online: 27 Aug 2017 *

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