Abstract-Most power engineering students these days have
had at least a casual introduction to computer programming
concepts. Specifically, they have become functionally fluent in
one or more programming languages and can use their
knowledge of basic syntax to write simple programs that
perform some desired task. Some students may also have had
the opportunity to learn basic software design concepts, such as
the benefits of top-down design and the practice and virtues of
programming in a modular fashion using a structured
programming approach. However, fewer students have been
exposed to the theory and practice of object-oriented software
development. Understanding object-oriented programming
concepts requires that the student undergo a paradigm shift.
The student must move from thinking about modeling systems
and problems in terms of the @“ens that must be performed to
thinking about the objects that must interact with each other to
perform those actions. Successfully navigating this change in
thought is not a trivial undertaking, but the rewards of doing so
can be tremendous. This presentation provides a brief
introduction to the concepts and benefits of the object-oriented
approach and explains why power engineering students may
benefit greatly from a more formal introduction to the topic