Abstract

Several concepts in computer science are considered “difficult”. We (instructors and domain experts) all agree that many of these are important, but we are always faced with these questions:

How should we approach the concept? What level of understanding do we expect from our students? How much time do we have to spend on this? How can we keep our students engaged if the process needs more time?

Fortunately, there are some interesting and useful pedagogical (or rather, androgogical) innovations that can help us get a different perspective on tackling such issues. In this talk, I will:

Discuss some of these approaches, and see how they translate into learning experiences that engage students Apply these ideas to help students learn two “difficult” concepts from computer science.

Bio: Sarnath is interested in bringing wholistic innovations into Computer Science pedagogy and curriculum, and has applied these ideas in a textbook on Object-oriented software construction. He has worked on adapting and applying algorithmic strategies in many areas including transportation, urban planning, data clustering and VLSI layout. He is also interested in theoretical issues in computing and algorithms for fundamental problems. His other interests include exploring the human condition, Indian classical music, communing with nature and cryptic crosswords.