Conference
An Improvement of Phrase Fill-in-Blank Problem for Java Test Code Reading Study
| Title: | An Improvement of Phrase Fill-in-Blank Problem for Java Test Code Reading Study |
|---|---|
| Language: | English |
| Authors: | Xiqin Lu, Khaing Hsu Wai |
| Source: | International Association for Development of the Information Society. 2026. |
| Availability: | International Association for the Development of the Information Society. e-mail: secretariat@iadis.org; Web site: http://www.iadisportal.org |
| Peer Reviewed: | Y |
| Page Count: | 7 |
| Publication Date: | 2026 |
| Document Type: | Speeches/Meeting Papers Reports - Research |
| Descriptors: | Programming, Programming Languages, Testing, Coding, Learning Activities, Problem Solving, Computer Software |
| Abstract: | Java is a versatile programming language centered around the principles of objects and classes, while JUnit is a testing framework for Java developers to write test cases and execute testing for highly reliable and bug-free code. Previously, to support self-studies for beginner students, we presented an implementation of the "Phrase Fill-in-blank Problem (PFP)" for test code reading studies. This problem asks students to fill in the blanks in a source code with one or multiple elements according to the corresponding given test code, and the answer is automatically marked on the platform by "string matching." In the previous application, we assigned 5 generated PFP instances to 67 undergraduate students, and the results confirmed that the proposal is suitable for novices to study test code reading. However, several wrong answers were frequently observed, which reveals the challenging and easily confused concepts in Junit and Java. In this paper, we focus on two PFP instances that showed relatively low correct answer rates and high submission frequencies. We analyze common incorrect answers, identify their underlying causes and related knowledge points, and introduce targeted hint functions to address these issues. As a preliminary evaluation, we applied these improvements to 20 students and compared the results. The increase in correct answer rates and decrease in submission times confirmed the effectiveness and usefulness of the proposal. [For the full proceedings, see ED682246.] |
| Abstractor: | As Provided |
| Entry Date: | 2026 |
| Accession Number: | ED682355 |
| Database: | ERIC |
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