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Posts by Collection
portfolio
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publications
Finding Abstraction-Comprehension Balance: A Study of Model-Based Integrated Science and Computational Thinking Application
Published in American Educational Research Association Annual Meeting, 2017
This paper discusses representational tensions arising in developing integrated computational thinking and science modules.
Recommended citation: Gautam, A., Wall Bortz, W., Tatar, D., Lipscomb, K., Rivale, S., Orsino, C. & Etzkorn, F. (2017). Finding Abstraction-Comprehension Balance: A Study of Model-Based Integrated Science and Computational Thinking Application. American Educational Research Association (AERA'17). http://aakash.xyz/files/aera2017.pdf
An Empirical Study of Activity, Popularity, Size, Testing, and Stability in Continuous Integration
Published in The Mining Software Repositories (MSR) Conference, 2017
We perform a cluster analysis to classify software projects that follow continuous integration in terms of their activity, popularity, size, testing, and stability.
Recommended citation: Gautam, A., Vishwasrao, S., & Servant, F. (2017). An Empirical Study of Activity, Popularity, Size, Testing, and Stability in Continuous Integration. In 2017 IEEE/ACM 14th International Conference on Mining Software Repositories (MSR). http://aakash.xyz/files/msr2017.pdf
Case for Integrating Computational Thinking and Science in aLow-Resource Setting
Published in International Conference of Information and Communication Technologies on Development (ICTD), 2017
We studied a method to integrate computational thinking, the ability to express problems and their solutions to a computing device, into an existing science classroom with the goal of deepening learning in both science and computational thinking in a low-resource setting in Nepal.
Recommended citation: Gautam, A., Bortz, W. E. W., & Tatar, D. (2017). Case for integrating computational thinking and science in a low-resource setting. In Proceedings of the Ninth International Conference on Information and Communication Technologies and Development (ICTD'17). http://aakash.xyz/files/ictd2017.pdf
Participatory Tensions in Working with a Vulnerable Population
Published in Participatory Design Conference (PDC), 2018
The question raised is “how should our PD practice position itself with respect to the ideal of comprehensive democratic participation when potential harm may ensue to vulnerable people?”
Recommended citation: Gautam, A., Shrestha, C., Kulak, A., Harrison, S., & Tatar, D. (2018). Participatory Tensions in Working with a Vulnerable Population. In Proceedings of the 15th Participatory Design Conference: Short Papers, Situated Actions, Workshops and Tutorial-Volume 2. http://aakash.xyz/files/pdc2018.pdf
Social Photo-Elicitation: The Use of Communal Production of Meaning to Hear a Vulnerable Population
Published in ACM Conference on Computer-Supported Cooperative Work and Social Computing (CSCW), 2018
We adapted photo-elicitation to hear the voices of a group of sex-trafficking survivors, making the technique more communal.
Recommended citation: Gautam, A., Shrestha, C., Tatar, D., & Harrison, S. (2018). Social Photo-Elicitation: The Use of Communal Production of Meaning to Hear a Vulnerable Population. In Proceedings of the ACM on Human-Computer Interaction, 2, 56. http://aakash.xyz/files/cscw2018.pdf
Beyond Saving: A Case for Agency-First Approach Against Domestic Violence
Published in International Conference of Information and Communication Technologies on Development (ICTD), 2019
We analyzed videos containing narrative stories of eight women in Nepal who had experienced domestic violence. We argue that designed systems, whether they be technologies or public policies, need to support the survivor’s agency rather than seeing them as victims needing to be saved.
Recommended citation: Gautam, A., Shrestha, C., & Tatar, D. (2019). Beyond Saving: A Case for Agency-First Approach Against Domestic Violence. In Proceedings of the Tenth International Conference on Information and Communication Technologies and Development. http://aakash.xyz/files/ictd2019.pdf
Integrating Computational Thinking into Middle School Science: A Search for Synergistic Pedagogy
Published in American Society for Engineering Education-Southeastern Section, 2019
This paper highlights evidence that students can learn CT and science in tandem, particularly when pedagogy weaves the two domains into classroom tasks in complementary ways.
Recommended citation: Bortz, W. W., Gautam, A., Lipscomb, K., & Tatar, D. (2019). Integration Computational Thinking into Middle School Science: A search for Synergistic Pedagogy. In ASEE Southeastern Section Conference. http://aakash.xyz/files/asee2019.pdf
The Availability of Pedagogical Responses and the Integration of Computational Thinking.
Published in Integrating digital technology in education: School-university-community collaboration, 2019
We focus on one teacher’s pedagogical strategies employed in each of the two integrated domains-in this case, computational thinking and science.
Recommended citation: Bortz, W. W., Gautam, A., Tatar, D., & Lipscomb, K. (2019). The Availability of Pedagogical Responses and the Integration of Computational Thinking. Integrating Digital Technology in Education: School-University-Community Collaboration (2019), 81. https://www.infoagepub.com/products/Integrating-Digital-Technology-in-Education
Adding Voices to Support Web Navigation Among a Low Digital Literacy Group
Published in Designing Interactive Systems (DIS), 2019
This paper presents our initial experiences introducing and refining a voice-annotated web application to a group of people who have limited experience with technology.
Recommended citation: Gautam, A., Tatar, D., & Harrison, S. (2019). Adding Voices to Support Web Navigation Among a Low Digital Literacy Group. In Companion Publication of the 2019 on Designing Interactive Systems Conference 2019 Companion (pp. 165-169). http://aakash.xyz/files/dis2019a.pdf
Designing to Reflect Our Better Nature
Published in Designing Interactive Systems (DIS), 2019
We present a set of technologies designed in our research group where the focus has been on highlighting the nuanced but critical agency of people to shape interaction with their world using and through computers.
Recommended citation: Gautam, A., Stewart, M., Shrestha, C., Tibau, J., Harrison, S., & Tatar, D. (2019). Designing to Reflect Our Better Nature. In Companion Publication of the 2019 on Designing Interactive Systems Conference 2019 Companion (pp. 21-24). http://aakash.xyz/files/dis2019b.pdf
Missing in Measurement: Why Identifying Learning in Integrated Domains Is So Hard
Published in Journal of Science Education and Technology, 2019
We present a mixed-methods analysis of student assessment results and consider potential issues with moving too quickly toward relying on a rubric-based approach to evaluating student learning in an integrated computational thinking and science classroom.
Recommended citation: Bortz, W. W., Gautam, A., Tatar, D., & Lipscomb, K. (2020). Missing in Measurement: Why Identifying Learning in Integrated Domains Is So Hard. Journal of Science Education and Technology, 29(1), 121-136. http://aakash.xyz/files/jost2019.pdf
Abstraction Through Multiple Representations in an Integrated Computational Thinking Environment
Published in ACM Special Interest Group on Computer Science Education (SIGCSE) Technical Symposium, 2020
Changing the representational affordances available to the students allows them to take their CT thinking beyond learning-to-abstract towards learning-through-abstraction.
Recommended citation: Gautam, A., Bortz, W., & Tatar, D. (2020). Abstraction Through Multiple Representations in an Integrated Computational Thinking Environment. In Proceedings of the 51st ACM Technical Symposium on Computer Science Education (pp. 393-399). http://aakash.xyz/files/sigcse2020.pdf
Crafting, Communality, and Computing: Building on Existing Strengths To Support a Vulnerable Population
Published in ACM CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI), 2020
In this work, we present reflections from introducing a voice-annotated web application to a group of survivors. Link to the recorded presentation.
Recommended citation: Gautam, A., Harrison, S., & Tatar, D. (2020). Crafting, Communality, and Computing: Building on Existing Strengths To Support a Vulnerable Population. In Proceedings of the 2020 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems http://aakash.xyz/files/chi2020.pdf
p for political: Participation Without Agency Is Not Enough
Published in Participatory Design Conference (PDC), 2020
Reflecting on observations from participatory activities with a group of sex-trafficking survivors, we argue that building participant agency on the small and personal interactions is necessary before engaging in larger Political participation. Link to the recorded presentation.
Recommended citation: Gautam, A., Harrison, S., & Tatar, D. (2020). p for political: Participation Without Agency Is Not Enough. In Proceedings of the 16th Participatory Design Conference (PDC'20) http://aakash.xyz/files/pdc2020.pdf
From Needs to Strengths: Operationalizing an Assets-Based Design of Technology
Published in ACM Conference on Computer-Supported Cooperative Work and Social Computing (CSCW), 2020
In this workshop, we will bring together researchers and industry actors to explore the implications of assets-based perspectives across domains, including Education, Information and Communication Technologies and Development (ICTD), and Participatory Design (PD).
Recommended citation: Wong-Villacres, M., Gautam, A., Roldan, W., Pei, L., Dickinson, J., Ismail, A., ... & Roden, E. (2020). From Needs to Strengths: Operationalizing an Assets-Based Design of Technology. In Conference Companion Publication of the 2020 on Computer Supported Cooperative Work and Social Computing (pp. 527-535). http://aakash.xyz/files/cscw2020.pdf
Designing Socio-Technical Systems to Illuminate Possibilities for a Vulnerable Population
Published in Virginia Tech Computer Science Department, 2021
How might computer scientists work with communities in facilitating meaningful social change?. Link to the recorded presentation.
Recommended citation: Gautam, A. Designing Socio-Technical Systems to Illuminate Possibilities for a Vulnerable Population. Doctoral dissertation, Virginia Tech. http://aakash.xyz/files/dissertation.pdf
Reflections on Assets-Based Design: A Journey Towards A Collective of Assets-Based Thinkers
Published in ACM Conference on Computer-Supported Cooperative Work and Social Computing (CSCW), 2021
Marisol Wong-Villacrés and I reflect on our assets-based design endeavors with two different communities. We present assets-based design as an ongoing process that prioritizes the formation and evolution of a collective of assets-based thinkers who continually learn about their assets and ways to use them to attain desirable change.
Recommended citation: Wong-Villacrés, M., Gautam, A., Tatar, D., DiSalvo, B. (2021). Reflections on Assets-Based Design: A Journey Towards A Collective of Assets-Based Thinkers. In Proceedings of the ACM on Human-Computer Interaction, 5 (Article 401). http://aakash.xyz/files/cscw2021.pdf
Empowering Participation Within Structures of Dependency
Published in Participatory Design Conference (PDC), 2022
We seek to answer, “How can PD engagements push back on prevailing deficit perspectives and support vulnerable groups to gain power and control within the existing structure of dependency?”
Recommended citation: Gautam, A. & Tatar, D. (2022). Empowering Participation Within Structures of Dependency. In Participatory Design Conference 2022: Volume 1. (pp. 75-86) http://aakash.xyz/files/pdc2022.pdf
talks
teaching
Introduction to Programming in C++
Undergraduate course, Virginia Tech, Computer Science Department, 2018
I designed this course to cover basic structured programming using the C++ language. It was not a course about C++. It was intended for those with little or no programming background. Although prior programming experiences may make it easier, it was intended as a gentle introduction to think like a computer scientist.
Introduction to Programming in Java
Undergraduate course, Virginia Tech, Computer Science Department, 2019
This course provided an introduction to fundamental concepts of programming. We covered basic software engineering principles and programming skills using Java. The topics included discussions on simple data types, control structures, array and string data structures, basic algorithms, and testing and debugging.
Introduction to Software Design
Undergraduate course, Virginia Tech, Computer Science Department, 2019
This course provided an introduction to concepts of programming from an object-oriented perspective. We covered basic software engineering principles and programming skills using Java. The topics included discussions on simple data types, control structures, array and string data structures, basic algorithms, and testing and debugging. These were structured around object-oriented programming paradigm (e.g. focusing on data with methods operating upon the object’s data, implementing interactions between objects, and emphasizing reusability through careful class design).
Introduction to Programming in Java
Undergraduate course, Virginia Tech, Computer Science Department, 2020
This course provided an introduction to fundamental concepts of programming from an object-oriented perspective. We covered basic software engineering principles and programming skills using Java. The topics included discussions on simple data types, control structures, array and string data structures, basic algorithms, and testing and debugging.
Introduction to Software Design
Undergraduate course, Virginia Tech, Computer Science Department, 2020
This course provided an introduction to concepts of programming from an object-oriented perspective. We covered basic software engineering principles and programming skills using Java. The topics included discussions on simple data types, control structures, array and string data structures, basic algorithms, and testing and debugging. These were structured around object-oriented programming paradigm (e.g. focusing on data with methods operating upon the object’s data, implementing interactions between objects, and emphasizing reusability through careful class design).