FDP on Experiential, project-based learn-by-doing learning approach using Java Programming (Online)

A 10 days showcase program was organized by the Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Technology, Manav Rachna International University from 13^th February, 2017 to 24^th February, 2017, held at its MRIU campus, Faridabad. The resource person for the program was Prof (Dr) Lynn Carter, from Robert Carter Academy, USA. He is a former Professor of Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.

It was attended by four Faculty members and five Students of B. Tech 6^th semester. This showcase program was designed to make the participants familiar with the methodology to develop software with a test driven approach. This program provided an  “on the job” experience  to students by going through the phased development of a software in which all the participants were provided with some activity, in which they were asked to enhance the code keeping in mind all the constrained provided by the trainer. All this comes under Test-driven Development (TDD). On the start of the programme, the trainer explained why we need a better computation as we are dealing with a large number of data and scientific calculation, which requires high accuracy. All the interns were asked to maintain an Engineering Note Book (ENB) for each of the activity in a day that we are supposed to do as an evidence of the work carried out and to maintain software for future references.

The activities were to develop a calculator having square root with high-quality output. To build such a calculator some other activities were covered that include, Dynamic Select Lists – using Finite State Machines, Implementing a Finite State Machine, Finite State Machines and Specifications, working of FSM, Implementing the new select list using the FSM, UML, Floating Point Recognizer.

On the fourth day of showcase, a special session was arranged on how to give and receive feedback for a work that we are  supposed to get/deliver so as improve it in near future, the resource person for this session was Prof. Martin, from Robert Carter Academy, USA.

After that some more activities were added to enhance the calculator including, role of Precision in Scientific Applications, Doing arithmetic using error terms, Enhancing the CalculatorValue Class to support error terms, designing a Finite State Machine recognizer for  floating point value, producing high-quality numeric output, then Merge floating point recognizer and the CalculatorValue Class into the calculator, unlimited precision arithmetic, implementing square root using unlimited precision arithmetic, Graph convergence of square root of 2E6 with 1E6 initial estimate, how does Newton-Raphson converge to a result?, measure performance of square root using improved initial estimate.

On the last day of the showcase, all the interns were supposed to finalize the calculator with square root using Newton-Raphson method and high-quality output which should include floating point values up to million terms, unlimited precision arithmetic, square root using unlimited precision arithmetic.

All the interns demonstrated a new and improved calculator which was implemented in java and successfully completed the showcase.