Utilizing Test Driven Development in a Data Structures Course

High failure rates in Data Structures and Algorithms courses suggest the need for different approaches to teaching programming. This work contains a description of an effort to introduce Test-Driven Development (TDD) in a first course in data structures. Methods of teaching and utilization of the method are described, as are empirical results regarding student utilization of TDD and outcomes in the course. Instruction and project distribution that focuses on unit testing indicates an adoption of an incremental development methodology by the students in the study. Advantages, pitfalls and issues that need to be addressed in order to utilize the approach successfully in intermediate programming courses are discussed.