Reinventing the CS Curriculum

Reinventing the Computer Science Curriculum

Computer Science faculty and graduate students in collaboration with Instructional Design and Educational Psychology specialists, began implementation of the “Reinventing the Computer Science Curriculum” project initiated by the UNL Computer Science and Engineering Department. The goals of the project include a curriculum that supports improved student learning of fundamental Computer Science topics, more student exposure to software engineering topics, and more hands-on learning through structured programming labs.

ILMDA

Intelligent Learning Agent

The Intelligent Learning Module Delivery Agent (ILMDA) Project is building an agent specifically designed to deliver learning modules. Each learning module consists of three components: (a) a tutorial (e.g., What is permutation?), (b) a set of related examples, and (c) a set of exercise problems to test the student’s understanding of the topic. Based on how a student goes through the module and his or her profile, an ILMDA will pick appropriate examples and exercise problems for the student. In this manner, the ILMDA will customize the learning object.

Testing from the start

Testing From The Start

Several industrial studies indicate that over 50% of software development costs are allocated to testing. Furthermore, companies such as Microsoft, industry leader and one of the primary employers of our graduates, hire more testers than developers. Still, software testing receives very little attention in our undergraduate curriculum. Students who are supposed to be learning the fundamentals of programming fail to develop sufficient testing skills. One reason for such an omission is the lack of appropriate materials and tools to develop the testing skills required by industry. This tutorial addresses that gap by providing a self-pace and hands-on web module to help CS students develop skills for testing in the small (unit testing) during the early years of their careers.

Students who work through this tutorial will be exposed to common testing terminology, practice basic testing methodologies, and gain experience working with faulty code in a structured and controlled environment. The tutorial was conceived and designed by Dr. Sebastian Elbaum, its implementation was sponsored by the Great Plains Software Initiative and the Computer Science and Engineering Department at the University of Nebraska - Lincoln.

Nebraska 4H

4H Summer Camps

Four resident summer camps are being offered to high school students through the 4H "Get a NU Life" program. These week long camps are designed to get students excited about technology and careers in IT, recruit students to attend UNL and major in Computer Science and Computer Engineering, and provide students with skills that can be shared with their communities

Lincoln Bright Lights

Bright Lights Course

Sponsored by GPSTI, the CSE Department offers a course through Lincoln Bright Lights, a private, non-profit organization. The course is geared toward students in fourth through sixth grades and is held in the summer. This year's course is focusing on how pervasive computers are in our lives.