Objects: visualization of behavior and state

Animated program visualization can be used to support innovative instructional methods for teaching beginners about objects, their behavior, and state. In this paper, we present a discussion of methods that define object behavior and character (class)-level state variables that track state changes for 3D animated objects in small virtual worlds. We have found that character-level methods provide a means to demonstrate inheritance. Examples of worlds and program code used in instructional materials are provided.