Author: Alex Stevens
-
Formal reasoning belongs in the computing core
Students make stronger technical decisions when proof, abstraction, and argument are treated as practical tools rather than side topics.
-
Teaching programming as judgment, not just syntax
Introductory programming should train decomposition, testing, naming, and explanation alongside language mechanics.
-
Cybersecurity courses need clear writing
Security work is not only about tools and exploits; it also depends on precise explanation, critique, and technical communication.
-
What good student projects actually produce
The best projects end with something shareable: a talk, a write-up, a demo, a proof sketch, or a clearer next question.
-
Discrete structures are not just a box to check
Discrete mathematics can function as part of the intellectual backbone of computer science rather than a detached prerequisite.
-
Office hours are part of the classroom
A lot of the real work of teaching happens in office hours, advising, and the smaller conversations where students test unfinished thinking.