Combining object-oriented programming and simulation in education

Abstract

The article discusses the integration of simulation modeling and object-oriented programming (OOP) in IT education. The authors argue that closed-source commercial tools (Simulink, GPSS, Simio) limit the educational process by hiding the internal system architecture. As a solution, the "Simulation" open-source Java framework, developed at Chernihiv Polytechnic National University, is presented.
The framework is based on discrete-event simulation and the "active object" concept. The core element is the Actor abstract class, which defines object behavior through the rule() method. Model time management and process synchronization are handled by the Dispatcher class, which utilizes a queue-based system to process events and validate logical conditions via lambda functions.
The educational curriculum is divided into stages: studying random number generators (Uniform, Norm, Erlang), statistical data processing, and building queuing system (QS) models. To analyze simulation results, students employ components such as ExperimentManager for automated factor analysis and TransprocessManager for studying transient processes. Special emphasis is placed on the object-oriented analysis of real-world systems, such as soil extraction logistics.
The study demonstrates that the open-source nature of the "Simulation" framework enables students to explore the internal implementation of complex software, design patterns, and pseudo-parallelism mechanisms. This approach ensures continuity in programming training and enhances the development of professional IT competencies. The project is hosted on GitLab.