A Collection of Programming Misconceptions for Java/Processing

This web-based platform is specifically focused on misconceptions related to the Processing programming language and aims to support instructors in identifying, understanding, and addressing student misconceptions through structured, actionable information.

Why Processing?

Developed in 2001 by Casey Reas and Ben Fry at the MIT Media Lab, Processing is based on Java but significantly simplifies the syntax.

Processing is particularly suitable for programming education, as the language provides immediate visual feedback that motivates learners and makes programming concepts tangible. Its simplified syntax reduces complexity for programming beginners, allowing them to focus on core concepts rather than intricate language details. Processing enables creative applications that connect art and programming, making learning more engaging and personally meaningful. Additionally, it benefits from an active community that provides extensive resources, tutorials, and examples for both educators and students.

The Team

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Foto: Ilona Stelzl/THA

Corinna List

PhD Student

Augsburg Technical University of Applied Sciences

📧 list@tha.de
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Prof. Dr. Michael Kipp

Professor

Augsburg Technical University of Applied Sciences

📧 kipp@tha.de

Interested in collaborating? Please feel free to contact us!

Publications

We have reported on our work and findings in the following scientific publications:

List, Corinna and Müller, Moritz and Kipp, Michael (2025). Yet Another Collection of Programming Misconceptions — To Help Educators Find What Matters. In Proceedings of the 25th Koli Calling International Conference on Computing Education Research (pp. 1--3).
DOI: 10.1145/3769994.3770058
Jell, Lea and List, Corinna and Kipp, Michael (2023). Towards Automated Interactive Tutoring - Focussing on Misconceptions and Adaptive Level-Specific Feedback. In Proceedings of the 5th European Conference on Software Engineering Education (pp. 226--235).
DOI: 10.1145/3593663.3593692