Computer Science as a discipline has a dichotomy in its focus. Half of the
material is theoretical while the other half is practical application. Because
this dichotomy can exist within even a single course, one of the most important
jobs for any teacher of Computer Science is to bridge this gap. It is much too
easy to lose a practically-oriented student while investigating the technical or
mathematical background of a topic. Despite the seemingly huge disparity in the
types of learning that these two aspects require, neither the theoretical nor
the practical exist in a vacuum. They each drive the other, and it is most
satisfying when as a teacher I can help students see the mutual influence, and
thus gain a fuller understanding than just knowing either aspect alone.
As an instructor, I see my main purpose as being a resource to help solve
problems and emphasize the application of the theoretical, while not losing
sight of the higher-level concepts. Problem solving, both in the pedagogical
sense, and in the sense of fixing the inevitable bugs associated with computer
programming, is a skill that can benefit anyone. I see it as imperative that I
not only show where problems may arise and how to prevent them, but also to
teach students how to solve them on their own. There is no shortage of problems
in Computer Science or in real life. Problem solving when applied to why a car
will not start is no different than when applied to why a program will not run
correctly. There is a logical process to investigate problems, and the students
who internalize this process should succeed better in Computer Science and
hopefully in life as well. It is my job to make this process evident and to
instill its value and utility.
To ground and unite concepts, my lectures often start with a theoretical
description of the new topic or problem to solve, followed by guided class
participation attempting to construct a solution. With several solutions
proposed, we then examine the tradeoffs that may make a certain approach better
than another. These new concepts are put into practice through weekly labs,
usually done in recitations. Quizzes, tests, and take-home projects review the
learning progress made and serve to tie larger concepts together.
One of the main benefits of being a teacher while still a student is that I
remember those aspects of teaching that have been most successful for me. My
teaching reflects those teachers who have had the most influence upon my own
education, and there seems no better way to reach my own students than to
emulate their strengths and combine them with my own personal style.
As a teacher, I represent more than an opportunity to get a good grade. I strive
to help all students gain a passion for Computer Science and learning in
general, one that I myself have and attempt to demonstrate in both my teaching
and my outside projects. There is a wealth of knowledge and understanding to be
gained both about computers and life, much of which is to be gained outside of
school. If I succeed in inspiring my students, they will learn on their own how
to be better Computer Scientists.
Experience
Figure 1: Teaching evaluation scores over time. The left graph is for
teaching independently. The right graph illustrates improvement in CS 0007 over
several semesters.
During my experience as a graduate student, I have taught four different courses
over eight semesters, and have also been a teaching assistant covering a
recitation for two more semesters. Most of my experience as an instructor has
been for service courses where I am introducing programming to students with
little or no Computer Science background. The left graph in Figure
1 shows my Overall Teaching Effectiveness as anonymously reported
during the University administered survey. The overall trend shows that I have
improved with experience, and I feel I have learned as much from my students
about teaching as I have hopefully taught them about Computer Science. The right
graph in Figure 1 demonstrates my improvement across several terms
of teaching the same class.
The majority of my teaching experience comes from two classes: CS 0007 -
Introduction to Java Programming (4 sections) and CS 0132 -
Programming in C and a Guide to UNIX (2 sections.) CS 0007 is geared
towards freshmen who did not take any programming courses in high school. The
class begins with a description of computers and how to write algorithms to
solve problems. Take-home projects are usually casino games since they are
interesting to write and test, and have very definite rules that are easy to
express in a programming language. CS 0132 is taken by a variety of students who
have had some programming experience before, but need to learn C. They are often
adults or graduate students from other departments that need to learn C to do
their work and research.
CS 0004 - Introduction to Computer Programming in Visual Basic was a
very challenging course to teach. The majority of the students were either
taking it to fulfill a graduation requirement for a Quantitative Reasoning
class, or were in a technology-related but non-programming field such as Medical
Information Management. Those students using it to fulfill a graduation
requirement were taking the course in place of algebra, and were generally
uncomfortable using math. The course greatly challenged these students, and I
often provided extra time in office hours for those students who felt they
needed additional help. I am proud of all of my students for successfully rising
to the challenge of the final project, writing the game of Minesweeper.
Programming Minesweeper required them to demonstrate the same abstract reasoning
that they were trying to avoid by not taking algebra. The evaluations from this
class represent the dip in Figure 1 in Spring 2006, but I still feel
this was a good example of my teaching ability. I look forward to being able to
take what I learned from this course and apply it to similar ones in the future
to see how I improve.
CS 1590 - Social Implications of Computing Technology was a
wonderfully different experience to teach. The class consisted of majors who
were generally upperclassmen, and the course's focus was on writing and thinking
critically about the ethical issues of computers and the internet. Both the
students and I had an interesting and insightful time learning and discussing
controversial but important issues like net neutrality and copyrights.
Interests
My interest is simply that I want to teach any of the multiple facets of
Computer Science. My previous experience has required me to spend considerable
time refining my approach to teaching programming, but that is not the full
extent of my interest or ability. My research in Software Engineering has
allowed me to appreciate the formal design of software and through papers and
conference presentations, explain those concepts and my contributions to the
field. I would enjoy the chance to bring the foundations of solving problems
through good design to students developing maturity in software design.
My graduate classes and additional research has also had a considerable focus on
the computer as a machine. By emphasizing the underlying architecture and
software interaction via the Operating System or other low-level systems
programs, I could bring my experience and insight to students. An extra-curricular
interest of mine is mobile computing and I would enjoy bringing my excitement
about this field to new and interested minds.
I am also interested in helping undergraduate students plot their college career
through classes, internships, and advising. My own undergraduate experience is
recent enough that I appreciate the importance of choosing classes that are
enriching and stimulating while still meeting the necessary requirements for
graduation.
Objectives
My primary goal for being a Computer Science instructor is to educate students
for the future, be it as competent professionals or passionate academics. I want
to use the experience and education that I have received to help ground the
abstract through useful analogies. I also feel a strong responsibility to
challenge students to be upstanding and conscientious producers and consumers of
technology.
In a practical sense I want to teach how to solve problems with well engineered
solutions. This includes a true understanding of the inner workings of the
computer. I want to tie concepts across the curriculum into a cohesive picture.
My final goal, but certainly not the least important, is that I want to continue
to improve myself and my teaching. I am interested in learning what others have
found to be successful methods of teaching Computer Science. I want the chance
to reflect on what I have done well or not so well, and take from that and build
a better class for the next time.
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