Engaging students in the learning process has been shown to be an effective means for education. Several methods have been proposed to achieve this engagement for computer science and other disciplines. Active learning is one such technique that incorporates interactive classroom activities to reinforce concepts and involve the students. Visualizations of computer science concepts such as algorithm animations can be used for these activities. To be most effective in this environment, they need to be designed and used with active learning in mind. This paper describes the design characteristics of such visualizations, ways of using them in the classroom, and our experience with developing and using visualization tools across different courses in the computer science curriculum.

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A scanline algorithm is described which renders bicubic patches directly from the parametric description without producing a polygonal approximation. The algorithm is partially based on earlier work by Whitted. A primitive object, called a "curved-edge polygon", is defined, and an algorithm for breaking down a bicubic patch into the primitive objects is described. A general surface intersection method is employed to provide a robust silhouette edge detector. Shades are computed by calculating a cubic approximation to the normal surface and performing either a cubic or a linear interpolation of the bounding edge normals across the scanline. Subdivision of parametric surfaces is used to reduce the complexity of the surfaces being rendered, providing dramatic improvement in the results of both the silhouette detector and the shading methods.

Becker, K. (2006). How much choice is too much? Paper presented at the Working group reports on ITiCSE on Innovation and technology in computer science education.

Many educators have noted the benefits of providing undergraduate students a research experience including increased retention, greater interest in graduate school, and an enhanced educational experience. Different approaches and guidelines have been proposed to accommodate the constraints of working with undergraduate students such as lack of academic maturity, limited student time, and a less developed knowledge base. In our Computer Science program, we have attempted to integrate various aspects of a general approach to research in courses throughout the major. Students get more in-depth exposure and practice in conducting elements of research as they progress through the major.The experience is culminated in two senior-level activities with major research components. In these activities, students are faced with ill-defined problems requiring extensive background investigation and must develop a unique idea to implement, analyze, and formally report on. This paper will describe the general research approach taught, how students are introduced to various aspects of the approach in their courses, and the senior-level experiences in detail with specific examples. The paper concludes with our experience regarding the effectiveness of this approach in providing a research experience.