Metaphor-based animation of OO programs
Jorma Sajaniemi, Pauli Byckling, Petri Gerdt · 2006
Program visualization and animation have traditionally been done at the level of programming language implementation, or by using some formal graphical notation, e.g., UML; both of which are unfamiliar to novices. We present a metaphor approach to animating object-oriented programs with the goal to provide novices with visually rich visualizations that can develop and consolidate a valid mental model of object-orientation. For this purpose, we introduce new metaphors for such concepts as class, object, object instantiation, method invocation, parameter passing, and object reference. These metaphors are used in a system that provides the animation of a few, carefully selected OO programs for educational use.