Difficulties in Teaching and Learning the Java Programming

This paper is part of an ongoing effort to improve teaching and learning of the object-orientated Java programming language for novice programmers at undergraduate level. An examination of what makes the skill of programming in Java difficult to acquire is conducted using a method that integrates triangular fuzzy numbers and the analytic hierarchy process to develop a fuzzy evaluation model, which prioritizes the relative weights of difficulties found in the teaching and learning of the Java programming language. The results derived by the evaluation model can provide a reference for course designers and teachers seeking to reduce the difficulties of delivering Java programming courses.