Test-Driven Learning

TDL is an approach to teaching computer programming that integrates automated unit tests throughout the computer science and software engineering curriculum. TDL has been applied in undergraduate, graduate, and professional training courses. Educators teaching courses involving computer programming at all levels are encouraged to consider adopting TDL. Replicated empirical studies of TDL are encouraged. Questions may be directed to David Janzen. A few resources are listed below.

TDL Publications

• David Janzen and Hossein Saiedian, Test-Driven Learning in Early Programming Courses,
  Proceedings of the 39th SIGCSE Technical Symposium on Computer Science Education (SIGCSE'08)
• David Janzen and Hossein Saiedian, Test-Driven Learning: Intrinsic Integration of Testing into the CS/SE Curriculum
  SIGCSE 2006 Technical Symposium on Computer Science Education, [SLIDES]
  ACM, (2006). This is the author's version of the work. It is posted here by permission of ACM for your personal use. Not for redistribution. The definitive version was published in ACM SIGCSE Bulletin, Proceedings of the third-seventh SIGCSE technical symposium on Computer Science Education SIGCSE '06, {38, 1, (2006)}
• Carol Wellington, Thomas Briggs, and C. Dudley Girard, Experiences Using Automated Tests and Test Driven Development in Computer Science I, AGILE 2007, August 2007, Page(s):106 - 112
• Thomas Briggs and C. Dudley Girard, Tools and techniques for test-driven learning in CS1, Journal of Computing Sciences in Colleges, 22(3), January 2007
• Related publications on test-driven development research

External Grants

• Lockheed Martin, "Test-Driven Learning: Integrating Test-Driven Development in an Early Programming Course," John Clements and David Janzen, Cal Poly, 2007-2008
• ACM SIGCSE Special Projects Grant, "Software Architecture Improvement Through Test-Driven Development: An Empirical Study," David Janzen, Bethel College and University of Kansas, 2005-2006

CS1 Resources

• TDD Intro
• JUnit 4 Hello World
• JUnit 4 Learning Tests
• Sample TDD-based labs for one quarter introductory Java course
• Lecture slides introducing automated unit testing with C++ functions, while loops, simple recursion, and assert().
• Sample lab introducing functions and automated unit tests
• Sample lab introducing recursive functions with automated unit tests
• Pre-experiment survey
• Post-experiment survey

CS2 Resources

• Sample lab introducing automated unit testing with assert()
• Sample lab introducing automated unit testing with assert() (shorter version with recursion example)
• Sample project assignment requiring automated unit testing with assert()
• Pre-experiment survey
• Post-experiment survey