Fully and Automatically Testable Tasks for Programming Novices Derived From a Modified Test-First Approach

This innovative practice paper presents an approach for fully and automatically testable tasks designed for programming novices, derived from a modified test-first approach. At our Universities of Applied Sciences, students from various non-computer science courses are introduced to the basics of programming using the C# programming language. The primary educational goal is to enable students to develop and test static methods for simple algorithmic problems. This is achieved through a modified test-first approach that emphasizes the practice of solving clearly defined tasks. The paper details the development of a task-oriented teaching method, the creation and organization of extensive task collections, and the implementation of a computer-assisted system for generating and verifying student tasks. The effectiveness and challenges of this approach are discussed, and potential for application in other programming languages is considered.