Type of Publication: Article in Collected Edition

UML++: Enhancing Student Learning of Object-Oriented Modeling through Executable Objects

Author(s):

Maier, Pierre; Schwarz, Tobias

Title of Anthology:

MODELS Companion '24: Proceedings of the ACM/IEEE 27th International Conference on Model Driven Engineering Languages and Systems

pages:

107-114

Publication Date:

2024

Digital Object Identifier (DOI):

doi:10.1145/3652620.3687777

Citation:

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Abstract

Motivated by the importance of object-oriented modeling in education, we introduce UML++, an object-modeling language that supports instantiation and execution of object models at run time. UML++ is complemented by a modeling tool, UML-MX©, that aims at improving the learning of object-oriented modeling by making modeling more tangible and engaging for students. We outline eight requirements for UML-MX© and present its core features with a focus on the components tailored to levitate learning experiences. A preliminary evaluation indicates that UML-MX© is able to meet most requirements and may significantly aid students in the appreciation and comprehension of object-oriented modeling. Future work will focus on further evaluating the tool's effectiveness in a course setting, refining current features for broader educational use, and expanding its support to other areas of conceptual modeling.