I have six years experience as a teaching assistant for ICS 111 and ICS 211, and was nominated for the Frances David Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching. These two courses were the introductory programming courses for Computer Science at the University of Hawaii, and focus on learning the Java programming language.
While a teaching assistant, I worked on solving the problem of the low retention rate of students in Computer Science, as many students dropped after their first real programming course. I worked with instructors to build course content and change the nature of the coursework away from large, infrequent programming assignments and tests to more manageable, small but frequent assignments and tests. This helped catch problems early and allowed students to more frequently test out their programming skills and knowledge.
My teaching philosophy, which I wrote up for the Frances David Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching, reflects these ideas and my personal goal to help out all of my students.
I have archived some of my lab websites from previous semesters of ICS 111:
Feel free to contact me if you have any questions about previous courses or material.
Teaching Duties
I taught the lab portion of ICS 111 and 211 for six years at the University of Hawaii at Manoa (ten semesters of 111 and two semesters of 211). Even though the ICS department implemented a three year rule on the maximum time spent as a teaching assistant, I was requested for additional years due to my ability to assist students with the course and to aid in the discussion of course content.
Course Descriptions
ICS 111 Introduction to Computer Science I (4 credits)
Catalog Description: Overview of computer science, writing programs. Pre: 101 or equivalent. Recommended: computer experience.
Instructors:
- Chris Hundhausen (Fall 2001)
- Blanca Polo (Spring 2003, Summer 2003, Fall 2003, Spring 2004, Fall 2004, Spring 2005)
- Jan Stelovsky (Spring 2006, Fall 2006)
- William Albritton (Fall 2005, Spring 2006, Fall 2006, Spring 2007)
Duties: Teach the lab sections; assist in writing assignments and exams; grade assignments and exams; author web content (assignments, useful information); assist students during lab, office hours, as well as email and synchronous chat. Topics regarded learning Java programming and critical thinking skills (logic and programming techniques)
ICS 211 Introduction to Computer Science II (3 credits)
Catalog Description: Algorithms and their complexity, introduction to software engineering, data structures, searching and sorting algorithms, numerical errors. Pre: grade of “B” or higher in 111 or consent.
Instructors:
- Chris Hundhausen (Spring 2002)
- Blanca Polo (Fall 2002)
Duties: Teach the lab sections; assist in writing assignments and exams; grade assignments and exams; assist students during lab, as well as email and synchronous chat. Topics regarded learning Java programming and critical thinking skills (logic and programming techniques)