Physical Java Memory Models
A notional machine is created that uses physical objects to help students understand references and objects in Java programs, much like blocks or other physical items help young children reason about abstract things like quantity, addition, and subtraction.
Abstract
I have created a notional machine that uses physical objects to help students understand references and objects in Java programs. These physical models may help students understand the abstract representation of Java programs - much like blocks or other physical items help young children reason about abstract things like quantity, addition, and subtraction. This article and accompanying videos may be of interest to Java teachers and to researchers interested in evaluating or comparing the effectiveness of notional machines.