Web Science and Digital Libraries Research Group

I’ve been meaning to write this for a couple years. Now seems an especially appropriate time for it. In particular, a hybrid course may be an option if staggered in-class attendance is something that will be implemented in the Fall. My first hybrid class began as an in-class "flipped" model.  So first, I'll talk about how I implemented the flipped mode and then I'll discuss how I handled the hybrid (in-class and online) aspects the following year. My definition of a "flipped" class (see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flipped_classroom , http://flippedclass.com/whyteachersmattermoreinflippedclassroom/ , http://facultyinnovate.utexas.edu/teaching/flipping-a-class ) is one in which students actually do the reading before the class meeting, and the class meeting time is spent discussing the material with students ( not lecturing) and doing in-class activities. There can be several benefits to this, including that class time is changed from content delivery to ac...

In Spring 2015, I taught Information Visualization (CS 725/825) for MS and PhD students.  This time we used Tamara Munzner 's Visualization Analysis & Design textbook, which I highly recommend : "This highly readable and well-organized book not only covers the fundamentals of visualization design, but also provides a solid framework for analyzing visualizations and visualization problems with concrete examples from the academic community. I am looking forward to teaching from this book and sharing it with my research group." —Michele C. Weigle, Old Dominion University I also tried a flipped-classroom model , where students read and answer homework questions before class so that class time can focus on discussion, student presentations, and in-class exercises. It worked really well -- students liked the format, and I didn't have to convert a well-written textbook into Powerpoint slides. Here I highlight a couple of student projects from that course.  (All c...

Mat Kelly taught CS418 - Web Programming at Old Dominion University in Spring 2015. This blog post highlights some teaching methods and technologies used (namely, Docker and GitHub) and how he integrated their usage into the flow of the course.                            For Spring Semester at Old Dominion University I taught CS418 - Web Programming with some updated methods and content. This course has been previously taught by various members of ODU WS-DL ( 2014 , 2013 , 2012 ). The first deviation from previous offerings of the course was to change the subject of the project. Previously, CS418 students were asked to progressively build an online forum like phpBB . Web sites resembling this medium are no longer as common as they once were on the Web, so a refresh was needed to keep the project familiar and relevant. For Spring, I asked studen...

We're excited to announce that four Web Science & Digital Library ( WS-DL ) courses will be offered in Spring 2015: CS 418 " Web Programming ", MW 3-4:15pm (CRN 24656 ), will be offered by Mat Kelly .  This will be an updated version of Dr. Weigle's class from last spring .  There will not be a 518 version of this class.  CS 495/595 " Big Data ", W 4:20-7pm (CRNs 29955 & 29956 ), will be offered by Dr. Charles "Chuck" Cartledge , a summer 2014 PhD graduate .  Chuck will adapt this class from Shahram Mohrehkesh 's class from spring 2014 . CS 725/825 " Information Visualization ", T 9:30am-12:15pm (CRNs 27990 & 27991 ), will be offered by Dr. Weigle .  She has most recently taught this class in fall 2013 .  CS 751/851 " Introduction to Digital Libraries ", R 4:20-7:00pm (CRNs 28839 & 28840 ), will be offered by Dr. Nelson .  This class will undergo many significant updates from its most recent off...