Introduction to JavaScript Programming The "Nothing but a Browser" Approach (Subscription)

About

Features

A proven pedagogical approach

• Understanding Programming through JavaScript relies on three proven strategies to maximize students’ understanding.

1. Introduce the concepts of programming using a JavaScript version of Karel the Robot, which helps students pick up coding fundamentals and important concepts without getting bogged down in syntax.
2. Adopt the well-structured programming principles defined by preeminent JavaScript authority Douglas Crockford and present topics in an order that defers the most challenging topics until students have the necessary background.
3. Motivate students to apply conceptual understanding of programming using a real language with nothing but a web browser, skipping separate development environments for a more open, fluid, and engaging learning experience.

Pedagogical features that enhance student learning

• Chapter openers begin each chapter with a short biography of a computer science pioneer, helping to humanize and contextualize computing.
• Key terms are clearly identified on first use and immediately defined.
• Syntax boxes highlight and summarize each new syntactic form as its introduced in the text.
• Syntax coloring helps ensure that students can identify, and therefore learn, the difference between comments, keywords, and string constants compared to the rest of the code.
• Chapter summaries conclude each chapter and include extensive summaries, key terms and ideas, and more.
• Review questions after each chapter summary provide robust self-test opportunities to help students gauge and increase their understanding of newly introduced topics.
• Extensive programming exercises test students’ understanding of chapter material while simultaneously providing them with exciting opportunities to create live applications.

Resources for students

• A companion site is available at www.pearson.com/cs-resources:

• Source code for all the programs in the text are presented in the text’s companion website.
• Program animations show students the completed versions of important sample programs to help guide them through execution.
• Review question answers are on the site so students can check their work.
  

Description

This is the eBook of the printed book and may not include any media, website access codes, or print supplements that may come packaged with the bound book.

For courses in Java Programming.

Introducing the fundamental concepts of programming with JavaScript

A brand new textbook by Eric Roberts, Understanding Programming through JavaScript focuses on the fundamental concepts of programming, and is written for students with no prior knowledge or experience. It draws on a rich pedagogical heritage—including the immersive Karel the Robot microworld, time-testing programming guidelines, and a logical, step-by-step organization—to give them the foundational skills needed to pursue other coding languages, or a career in computer programming. Using the text, students will build their skills and develop live, interactive web applications that really work on web browsers, providing both instant feedback and gratification. This new text includes chapter openers that humanize computing, review questions for student self-testing, and many other valuable features.

Sample Content

Table of Contents

1. A Gentle Introduction
   • 1.1 Introducing Karel
   • 1.2 Teaching Karel to solve problems
   • 1.3 Control statements
   • 1.4 Stepwise refinement
   • 1.5 Algorithms in Karels world
   • Summary
   • Review questions
   • Exercises
2. Introducing JavaScript
   • 2.1 Data and types
   • 2.2 Numeric data
   • 2.3 Variables
   • 2.4 Functions
   • 2.5 String data
   • 2.6 Running JavaScript in the browser
   • 2.7 Testing and debugging
   • 2.8 Software maintenance
   • Summary
   • Review questions
   • Exercises
3. Control Statements
   • 3.1 Boolean Data
   • 3.2 The if statement
   • 3.3 The switch statement
   • 3.4 The while statement
   • 3.5 The for statement
   • 3.6 Algorithmic programming
   • 3.7 Avoiding fuzzy standards of truth
   • Summary
   • Review questions
   • Exercises
4. Simple Graphics
   • 4.1 A graphical version of Hello World
   • 4.2 Classes, objects, and methods
   • 4.3 Graphical objects
   • 4.4 The graphics window
   • 4.5 Creating graphical applications
   • Summary
   • Review questions
   • Exercises
5. Functions
   • 5.1 A quick review of functions
   • 5.2 Libraries
   • 5.3 A library to support randomness
   • 5.4 The mechanics of function calls
   • 5.5 Recursive functions
   • Summary
   • Review questions
   • Exercises
6. Writing Interactive Programs
   • 6.1 First-class functions
   • 6.2 A simple interactive example
   • 6.3 Controlling properties of objects
   • 6.4 Responding to mouse events
   • 6.5 Timer-based animation
   • 6.6 Expanding the graphics library
   • Summary
   • Review questions
   • Exercises
7. Strings
   • 7.1 Binary representation
   • 7.2 String operations
   • 7.3 Classifying characters
   • 7.4 Common string patterns
   • 7.5 String applications
   • 7.6 Reading from the console
   • Summary
   • Review questions
   • Exercises
8. Arrays
   • 8.1 Introduction to arrays
   • 8.2 Array operations
   • 8.3 Using arrays for tabulation
   • 8.4 Reading text from files
   • 8.5 Multidimensional arrays
   • 8.6 Image processing
   • Summary
   • Review questions
   • Exercises
9. Objects
   • 9.1 Objects in JavaScript
   • 9.2 Using objects as maps
   • 9.3 Representing points
   • 9.4 Rational numbers
   • 9.5 Linking objects together
   • Summary
   • Review questions
   • Exercises
10. Designing Data Structures
    • 10.1 Abstract data types
    • 10.2 Implementing a token scanner
    • 10.3 Efficiency and representation
    • 10.4 Representing real-world data
    • Summary
    • Review questions
    • Exercises
11. Inheritance
    • 11.1 Class hierarchies
    • 11.2 Defining an employee hierarchy
    • 11.3 Extending graphical classes
    • 11.4 Decomposition and inheritance
    • 11.5 Alternatives to inheritance
    • Summary
    • Review questions
    • Exercises
12. JavaScript and the Web
    • 12.1 A simple interactive example
    • 12.2 An expanded look at HTML
    • 12.3 Controlling style using CSS
    • 12.4 Connecting JavaScript and HTML
    • 12.5 Storing data in the index.html file
    • Summary
    • Review questions
    • Exercises

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