TDD as a training method
I have been mentoring an apprentice at Stefanini Software Delivery Center.
During the early follow-up, I thought that a code kata would be a good way to encourage the apprentice to solve programming problems.
To specify what I’d like to see implemented, I wrote a few unit tests, and explained how automated tests would help us.
I also introduced test-driven development, and how it might be useful during the code kata resolution.
A day after the apprentice was able to add more unit tests to the test suite, thus extending the program behavior.
What I realized is that TDD as a methodology of work, involves the apprentice in a cycle of continuous learning, disclosing how execution of each new instruction added to the program happens.
A great value brought by TDD as a tool supporting education is the fact that the student prematurely get used to specifying software behavior before implementation.
Another skill the apprentice would develop at a early stage is requirements analysis.
I’m very excited about where this is going to take us, and it has been also a great experience.
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Congrats, that’s a very good idea !!! So, you can to present it in one of our workshops. What say you?
Andre Nascimento
19 Jan 10 at 0:38
André,
That would be great.
And I think, better than talking about TDD is doing TDD.
So, maybe we should leverage the code kata practice to a larger audience!
rafanoronha
19 Jan 10 at 19:35