Java Training Course Outline and

Teaching Plan
This course is designed for beginners, requiring no prior programming experience. Over a span
of 2–4 months, we will meet weekly for 2-hour live sessions. In each session, I will combine
short lectures with hands-on exercises and conclude with a mini-project or assessment to
reinforce learning.

Session 1: Introduction to Java and Setup -> DONE

In this session, I will introduce Java and guide students in setting up their development
environment. We will cover:

●​ Topics Covered: Overview of Java (history and uses), differences between JDK, JRE,
and JVM, installing Java (JDK) and an IDE (such as Eclipse or IntelliJ), writing and
running a basic HelloWorld program.​

●​ Learning Objectives: I will ensure students understand the purpose of the Java
Development Kit (JDK) and Java Virtual Machine (JVM). They will also be able to
compile and run a simple Java program using the IDE and understand its output.​

●​ Key Concepts: Platform independence, the role of a compiler and runtime, the structure
of a Java program (classes, main method), basic syntax (case sensitivity, semicolons,
comments).​

●​ Activities and Exercises: Students will download and install the JDK and a chosen
IDE. I will demonstrate creating a new Java project, writing a HelloWorld class, and
running it. We will also practice editing and re-running code to see changes.​

●​ Mini-Project/Assessment: Create and run a Java program that prints a personalized

greeting or a simple arithmetic result (e.g., "Hello, [YourName]!" or adding two
numbers).​

Session 2: Data Types, Variables, and Operators

In this session, I will teach students about Java data types, variables, and basic operators. We
will practice storing and manipulating data.
 ●​ Topics Covered: Primitive data types (int, double, boolean, char, etc.), Strings,
declaring and initializing variables, naming conventions, basic arithmetic and assignment
operators (+, -, *, /, %, =, ++, --), type casting and conversion, simple input/output with
Scanner.​

●​ Learning Objectives: I will ensure students understand how to choose appropriate data
types, declare and use variables, and apply operators to perform calculations. I will also
teach them to read user input using the Scanner class.​

●​ Key Concepts: Memory and variable storage, literal values (numeric, boolean,
character, string), operator precedence, concatenating strings, parsing numeric input.​

●​ Activities and Exercises: Students will write programs to calculate the area of a
rectangle (using int or double), swap two variables, and perform arithmetic
computations. We will also use Scanner to read a number from the user and print a
result. Students will try modifying code and observing the outcomes.​

●​ Mini-Project/Assessment: Write a program that takes user input (such as name and
age) and prints a formatted message. Include some arithmetic (e.g., calculating the
user's age next year).​

Session 3: Control Flow – Conditional Statements

In this session, I will explain how to control the flow of a program using conditional logic. We will
cover decision-making constructs.

●​ Topics Covered: if statements, if-else, else-if ladder, nested conditionals,

switch-case statements, and the ternary operator (?:).​

●​ Learning Objectives: I will teach students how to branch code execution based on
conditions, and how to write programs that make decisions using if-else and switch.​

●​ Key Concepts: Boolean expressions, relational operators (==, !=, >, <, >=, <=), logical
operators (&&, ||, !), the flow of execution, comparison of strings with .equals().​

●​ Activities and Exercises: Students will write programs to check if a number is even or
odd, determine if a number is positive/negative/zero, and compare two numbers. We will
use a switch statement to map a number (1-7) to a day of the week. Students will
experiment with nested if to check multiple conditions.​
 ●​ Mini-Project/Assessment: Develop a simple grading program: input a score (0–100)
and output a grade (A–F) using if-else or switch. Include edge cases (such as
invalid scores).​

Session 4: Loops – Repetition and Iteration

In this session, I will cover loops to perform repeated tasks efficiently. Students will learn
different loop constructs.

●​ Topics Covered: for loops, while loops, do-while loops, loop control with break
and continue.​

●​ Learning Objectives: I will demonstrate how to use loops to iterate over a range of
values or collections. I will explain the differences between for, while, and do-while
loops and when to use each.​

●​ Key Concepts: Loop control variables, condition checks, infinite loop prevention, scope
of loop variables, loop entry and exit conditions.​

●​ Activities and Exercises: Print the first 10 natural numbers and their squares using a
for loop. Use a while loop to sum numbers until a certain condition (e.g., sum > 100).
Demonstrate do-while by prompting user input until they enter a valid value. Show
how break exits a loop early and continue skips to the next iteration.​

●​ Mini-Project/Assessment: Create a multiplication table generator: ask the user for a

number and print its multiplication table using a loop. Alternatively, compute the factorial
of a number iteratively.​

Session 5: Methods and Recursion

In this session, I will introduce methods (functions) to organize code and demonstrate recursion.
We will focus on code reuse and problem decomposition.

●​ Topics Covered: Defining methods, method parameters, return types, method

overloading, scope of variables, the call stack, and recursion basics (e.g., computing
factorial or Fibonacci recursively).​

●​ Learning Objectives: I will teach students to create and call methods, pass arguments,
and receive return values. I will ensure they understand the flow of execution between
 methods and grasp a basic idea of recursion.​

●​ Key Concepts: Modular code design, parameters vs arguments, static methods (for
simplicity), return statements, recursion depth and base cases, the difference between
iterative and recursive solutions.​

●​ Activities and Exercises: Students will write methods for simple tasks: e.g., a method
that adds two numbers, one that checks if a number is prime, and a method that prints
patterns (like a triangle of stars). We will convert an iterative loop into a recursive method
(e.g., recursive factorial) and trace through the recursive call stack.​

●​ Mini-Project/Assessment: Build a small program (like a menu-driven calculator) where

each operation (add, subtract, etc.) is implemented in its own method. Alternatively, write
a program using recursion to solve a simple problem (e.g., computing Fibonacci
numbers).​

Session 6: Object-Oriented Programming – Classes and

Objects
In this session, I will delve into the fundamentals of object-oriented programming (OOP). We will
define classes and create objects.

●​ Topics Covered: Classes and objects, fields (attributes) and methods, constructors
(default and parameterized), this keyword, access modifiers (public, private),
encapsulation with getters and setters.​

●​ Learning Objectives: I will explain classes as blueprints for objects. I will guide students
in designing simple classes, instantiating objects, and manipulating their state through
methods. I will emphasize encapsulation and proper access control.​

●​ Key Concepts: Abstraction (focusing on relevant details of a class), object state and
behavior, constructor usage, information hiding, the difference between instance (object)
and static (class) members (brief mention of static).​

●​ Activities and Exercises: Create a class Book with attributes like title, author, and a
method to display details. Instantiate several Book objects in the main method and call
their methods. Practice using constructors and this. Implement getters and setters for
a class (e.g., a Student class with name and grade), and demonstrate accessing
private fields.​
 ●​ Mini-Project/Assessment: Design a simple class hierarchy, such as a BankAccount
class with methods deposit() and withdraw(). Write a program to create bank
account objects and perform transactions, printing the balance. Ensure encapsulation by
keeping the balance private.​

Session 7: Object-Oriented Programming – Inheritance

and Polymorphism
In this session, I will continue OOP by teaching inheritance and polymorphism, allowing
students to extend and reuse code.

●​ Topics Covered: Inheritance (extends keyword), subclasses and superclasses,

method overriding, the super keyword, polymorphism (upcasting and dynamic method
dispatch), introduction to abstract classes and interfaces.​

●​ Learning Objectives: I will show how inheritance allows code reuse and method
overriding for specific behaviors. I will demonstrate how a subclass object can be used
through a superclass reference (polymorphism). I will also introduce the concepts of
abstract classes and interfaces.​

●​ Key Concepts: "is-a" relationship, code reuse vs duplication, loose coupling via
polymorphism, abstract methods vs concrete, the use of instanceof (briefly).​

●​ Activities and Exercises: Create a base class Animal with a method speak(), then
subclass it with Dog and Cat overriding speak(). Use an array or list of Animal
references pointing to different animals and call speak() to see polymorphic behavior.
Define an interface Playable and make classes implement it. Demonstrate calling
interface methods.​

●​ Mini-Project/Assessment: Implement a shape drawing program: define an abstract

class Shape with an abstract draw() method, and create subclasses Circle,
Rectangle, etc. Each subclass provides its own draw() implementation. In main, use
a list of Shape and invoke draw() on each.​

Session 8: Arrays and Basic Collections (Lists)

In this session, I will cover how to store multiple items in arrays and use simple collections.
 ●​ Topics Covered: Single-dimensional arrays, basic array operations (creation, length,
indexing), iterating through arrays (using loops), multi-dimensional arrays (concept),
introduction to ArrayList (dynamic array) from the Collections Framework.​

●​ Learning Objectives: I will ensure students can declare and manipulate arrays, and
understand the difference between fixed-size arrays and dynamic lists. I will demonstrate
how to use ArrayList for flexible data storage.​

●​ Key Concepts: Index-based access, array.length, zero-based indexing, difference

between primitives and objects in arrays. For ArrayList: generics basics (e.g.,
ArrayList<String>), adding/removing elements, size() method.​

●​ Activities and Exercises: Work with an integer array: find the maximum value, compute
the average, etc. Create a two-dimensional array to represent a matrix or table and
access elements. Use an ArrayList<String> to store a list of names: add names,
remove one, iterate and print. Compare behavior of arrays vs. ArrayList.​

●​ Mini-Project/Assessment: Write a program to manage a list of student grades: store

grades in an array or ArrayList, then compute the highest, lowest, and average
grade. Include user input to populate the array/list.​

Session 9: Java Collections Framework – List, Set, and

Map
In this session, I will teach the core interfaces of the Collections Framework to manage groups
of objects.

●​ Topics Covered: List interface (e.g., ArrayList, LinkedList), Set interface

(HashSet, TreeSet), Map interface (HashMap, TreeMap), and iterating over collections
using loops or iterators.​

●​ Learning Objectives: I will explain when to use each collection type (List, Set, Map),
and I will guide students in performing operations like adding, removing, and searching
in these collections.​

●​ Key Concepts: Collection interfaces vs concrete implementations, ordering (insertion vs

sorted), uniqueness (sets disallow duplicates), key-based lookup (maps). For example,
HashMap uses hashing for fast access.​
 ●​ Activities and Exercises: Create an ArrayList<Integer> and demonstrate adding
duplicate values. Create a HashSet<Integer> with duplicates to show only unique
values remain. Use a HashMap<String, Integer> to store a phonebook (name →
number) and retrieve entries. Iterate through a collection using a for-each loop and an
Iterator.​

●​ Mini-Project/Assessment: Develop a small contact manager: allow adding names and

phone numbers to a HashMap, and then lookup a number by name. Ensure the program
handles the case where a name is not found.​

Session 10: Generics in Java

In this session, I will explore generics to enable type-safe collections and reusable components.

●​ Topics Covered: What are generics, type parameters (e.g., <T>), creating generic
classes and methods, generic collections (List<String> vs raw List), and wildcard
usage (basic <?>).​

●​ Learning Objectives: I will teach how generics provide compile-time type safety and
avoid casting. I will show students how to write a simple generic class or method and
use parameterized collection types.​

●​ Key Concepts: Type parameter syntax, type erasure concept, limitations (no generics
with primitive types), benefits of code reuse. I will emphasize writing safer code by
specifying types (e.g., ArrayList<Student>).​

●​ Activities and Exercises: Write a generic class Box<T> that can hold an object of type
T, with methods to set and get the object. Use it with different types (e.g.,
Box<String>, Box<Integer>). Compare using a List with and without generics and
observe compiler behavior. Use a method with a generic parameter.​

●​ Mini-Project/Assessment: Extend the contact manager to use generics in a method

(e.g., a generic method to print any collection of data). This reinforces generic syntax in
a practical way.​

Session 11: Streams and Lambdas (Java 8+ Features)

In this session, I will introduce functional-style programming features from Java 8, including
lambda expressions and streams for collection processing.
 ●​ Topics Covered: Lambda expressions (arrow syntax, functional interfaces like
Predicate, Function), method references, creating and using streams (Stream API),
common stream operations (filter, map, sorted, forEach, collect).​

●​ Learning Objectives: I will demonstrate writing concise code using lambda expressions
instead of verbose loops. I will show how to process collections with streams in a
readable way, illustrating how functional operations can replace some imperative loops.​

●​ Key Concepts: Functional interfaces (single abstract method interfaces), lambda syntax
(parameters → body), lazy evaluation in streams, chaining operations, immutability of
stream source, difference between intermediate and terminal operations.​

●​ Activities and Exercises: Convert a simple for loop that prints list elements into a
forEach with a lambda. Use a stream to filter a list of numbers (e.g., keep only even
numbers) and collect the results. Sort a list of strings using Collections.sort vs a
stream sorted(). Practice using method references like String::toUpperCase.​

●​ Mini-Project/Assessment: Given a list of objects (e.g., List<User> where each user

has a name and age), use streams to find and display all users over a certain age, or to
group names into a comma-separated string. This demonstrates combining filters and
mapping.​

Session 12: Exception Handling and Debugging

In this session, I will teach how to handle errors and debug Java programs. This is crucial for
writing robust code.

●​ Topics Covered: The try-catch-finally mechanism, throws declaration, checked

vs unchecked exceptions, common exception types (e.g., NullPointerException,
ArrayIndexOutOfBoundsException, IOException), creating custom exceptions
(overview), and basic debugging (using IDE breakpoints, stepping through code).​

●​ Learning Objectives: I will teach students to anticipate and handle runtime errors
gracefully. I will ensure they understand exception propagation and how to use a
debugger to inspect variable values and program flow.​

●​ Key Concepts: Exception hierarchy (Throwable, Exception, RuntimeException),

the importance of handling exceptions (vs crashing), using meaningful error messages,
and logging (briefly mention System.out vs proper logging frameworks).​
 ●​ Activities and Exercises: Write code that intentionally causes an exception (e.g.,
dividing by zero or accessing an invalid array index) and catch it to print a user-friendly
message. Use a try-with-resources with a file (if file I/O is covered). Demonstrate
setting a breakpoint in the IDE, stepping into a method, and inspecting variable states to
understand what the code is doing.​

●​ Mini-Project/Assessment: Refactor a previous program to add exception handling

(e.g., handle invalid input in the grading program). As an exercise, throw and catch a
custom exception in a small scenario (e.g., InvalidAgeException if input age is
negative).​

Session 13: File I/O and Java Packages

In this session, I will cover reading from and writing to files, and explain how to organize code
with packages.

●​ Topics Covered: File I/O using classes like FileReader, FileWriter,

BufferedReader, BufferedWriter, and Scanner with files; reading from and
writing to text files; directories and file paths. Introduction to java.nio.file (brief).
Java packages: using package statements, importing classes, and the Java classpath.​

●​ Learning Objectives: I will show how to persist data by reading from and writing to files.
I will ensure students grasp using package statements and imports, and the concept of
directories matching package names.​

●​ Key Concepts: Streams of data, text vs binary files (focus on text for beginners),
exceptions related to I/O (IOException). For packages: naming conventions, folder
structure, and preventing naming conflicts.​

●​ Activities and Exercises: Write a program to write user input to a text file (e.g., a
simple log or list of names) and then read the content back and display it. Show how to
use try-with-resources for files. Move a class into a named package (e.g.,
com.myapp.models) and update imports accordingly.​

●​ Mini-Project/Assessment: Create a simple student record system: read student names

and grades from a file, compute the average, and append results to an output file.
Ensure the code is organized into at least two packages (e.g., one for models and one
for services).​

Session 14: Multithreading and Concurrency Basics

In this session, I will provide an introduction to concurrent programming using threads. This will
be a high-level overview with simple examples.

●​ Topics Covered: The concept of a thread, creating threads by extending Thread or

implementing Runnable, thread states (new, runnable, blocked, waiting,
terminated), the sleep() method, and basic synchronization with the
synchronized keyword (to prevent race conditions).​

●​ Learning Objectives: I will introduce the concept of concurrent tasks in Java. I will have
students write basic multithreaded code and understand why synchronization is
sometimes needed.​

●​ Key Concepts: Parallel execution, race conditions, thread safety, shared resources, and
the problems of unsynchronized access. Threads in Java can run on multiple cores in
parallel (no GIL as in some other languages).​

●​ Activities and Exercises: Create a thread by implementing Runnable that prints

numbers 1–5 with a pause (using Thread.sleep). Start multiple threads and observe
interleaved output. Introduce a shared counter and show how unsynchronized access
can lead to inconsistent results, then use synchronized to correct it.​

●​ Mini-Project/Assessment: Write a program with two threads: one that increments a

counter and one that decrements it, both operating on the same object. Use
synchronization to ensure the final result is correct. (Alternatively, a simple
producer-consumer with a shared list can be demonstrated, time permitting.)​

Session 15: Java Database Connectivity (JDBC)

In this session, I will introduce connecting Java programs to databases using JDBC. This ties
together many concepts and shows real-world usage.

●​ Topics Covered: JDBC fundamentals (JDBC driver, connection URL), connecting to a

database (e.g., an embedded database like H2 or SQLite for simplicity), executing SQL
queries with Statement/PreparedStatement, processing ResultSet, and closing
connections. Basic CRUD operations (Create, Read, Update, Delete).​

●​ Learning Objectives: I will show how to integrate Java applications with a relational
database. I will have students write code to connect, query, and update a database from
Java.​

●​ Key Concepts: SQL basics (tables, rows, simple queries), JDBC classes
(DriverManager, Connection, Statement, ResultSet), handling SQLException,
 and the concept of a relational database compared to in-memory data structures.​

●​ Activities and Exercises: Set up a sample database table for users or products. Write a
Java program to insert a few records, query the table (printing results), update a record,
and delete a record. Emphasize using try-catch for SQLException.​

●​ Mini-Project/Assessment: Build a small command-line address book: allow adding

contacts (which inserts into the database), listing all contacts, and searching by name.
Use JDBC for all data storage, so the data persists between program runs.​

Session 16: Final Project, Review, and Additional Topics

In this final session, I will review key topics and oversee final project presentations. We will also
touch on any remaining important concepts.

●​ Topics Covered: Recap of core Java concepts, Q&A session, discussion of additional
topics like Java testing (JUnit basics), build tools (Maven/Gradle overview, if applicable),
and best practices (code style, version control mention). Guidance on final project
completion.​

●​ Learning Objectives: I will guide students in consolidating their knowledge by applying

it to a final project. I will help them feel confident to start coding Java on their own and
know where to find further learning resources.​

●​ Key Concepts: I will emphasize writing clean, readable code, the value of testing
(writing simple unit tests), and using documentation (JavaDocs). I will encourage the
use of online resources and communities (like Stack Overflow, official docs) for
continued learning.​

●​ Activities and Exercises: I will have students present their final mini-projects, which
should incorporate multiple elements learned throughout the course (for example, a
small library management or inventory system using classes, collections, and file or
database I/O). I will provide feedback and demonstrate any requested concepts live.​

●​ Mini-Project/Assessment: The final project is a comprehensive application (e.g., an

inventory management system, a student grading app, or a basic social feed simulator)
that uses object-oriented design, collections, file/DB storage, and exception handling.
Students will work individually or in pairs to implement and then present their project.
Resources
How Microsoft uses Java:​
https://cdn.graph.office.net/prod/media/java/how-microsoft-applies-java.pdf

Java Insights: https://javainsights-e8b0a9djf3bdgfc6.southafricanorth-01.azurewebsites.net/topic

Docs: learn.java, dev.java,

Prerequisites
Sure! Below is a comprehensive document listing what one needs to download to start
writing Java, clearly specifying for each operating system (Windows, macOS, Linux). It covers
essential tools like the JDK, IDEs, and optional tools for a smoother development experience.

Getting Started with Java: Download

Checklist for Each OS
1️⃣ Core Requirement: Java Development Kit (JDK)
👉 Recommended Version:​
✅ Java SE 21 LTS

📌 Windows
●​ Download JDK:​
Oracle JDK​

●​ Installer type: .exe or .msi​

📌 macOS
 ●​ Download JDK:​
Oracle JDK​

●​ Installer type: .dmg or .pkg​

📌 Linux
●​ Download JDK:​
Oracle JDK​

●​ Or install via package manager:​

Ubuntu/Debian:​
​
sudo apt update
sudo apt install openjdk-17-jdk

Fedora/CentOS/RHEL:​
​
sudo dnf install java-17-openjdk-devel

Verify with:​
​
java -version

2️⃣ IDE (Integrated Development Environment)

👉 Recommended IDEs
●​ IntelliJ IDEA (Community Edition is free)

👉 All OS
●​ Downloads are available for Windows, macOS, and Linux.​

●​ Choose installer type specific to your OS (.exe, .dmg, .tar.gz, etc.).​

3️⃣ Optional Tools

🔹 Build tools (used in larger projects)
 ●​ Maven​

●​ Gradle​

🔹 Version Control (Git)

●​ Git​

4️⃣ Java Documentation & Learning Resources

●​ Official Java Tutorials​

●​ Java API Documentation​

✅ Summary Download List

OS JDK IDE Git Build Tool
(Optional)

Window Oracle JDK / Temurin IntelliJ/Eclipse Git for Maven/Gradle

s .exe .exe Windows

macOS Oracle JDK / Temurin IntelliJ/Eclipse Git for Maven/Gradle

.dmg .dmg macOS

Linux openjdk-17 (apt/dnf) or IntelliJ/Eclipse git Maven/Gradle

Oracle / Temurin .tar.gz package

✔ After installation, verify Java works:

java -version
javac -version

✔ IDEs like IntelliJ or Eclipse will usually auto-detect the JDK.