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International Conference on Technical Formal Methods

TFM 2004: Teaching Formal Methods pp 32–46Cite as

Motivating Study of Formal Methods in the Classroom

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Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Computer Science ((LNCS,volume 3294))

Abstract

One challenge to Formal Methods educators is the need to motivate students both to choose our courses and to continue studying them. In this paper we consider the question of motivation from two angles. Firstly, we provide small examples designed to overcome the “mental resistance” often found in typical students studying introductory formal methods courses. The examples illustrate advantages of a formal approach, and can be appreciated by both novice and experienced programmers. The second part of the paper considers the questions of motivation more generally and raises for debate a number of relevant issues.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Armstrong Atlantic State University, Savannah, Ga, US

    Joy N. Reed

  2. University of Warwick, Coventry, UK

    Jane E. Sinclair

Authors
  1. Joy N. Reed
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  2. Jane E. Sinclair
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Anglia Polytechnic University, East Rd, CB1 1PT, Cambridge, UK

    C. Neville Dean

  2. INTEC, Universiteit Gent, Belgium

    Raymond T. Boute

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Reed, J.N., Sinclair, J.E. (2004). Motivating Study of Formal Methods in the Classroom. In: Dean, C.N., Boute, R.T. (eds) Teaching Formal Methods. TFM 2004. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 3294. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-30472-2_3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-30472-2_3

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-540-23611-5

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-540-30472-2

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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