Recognized for Excellence in Teaching and Mentoring
Guoning Chen, associate professor of computer science, has been honored with the 2024 John C. Butler Excellence in Teaching Award, the highest teaching accolade in the College of Natural Sciences & Mathematics (NSM).
Named in memory of former NSM Dean John C. Butler, the award recognizes faculty who exhibit exceptional teaching abilities and commitment to the college’s teaching mission. The recognition spans formal classroom instruction and mentorship of students.
“He has exemplified himself in all aspects of teaching and mentoring and is a true asset to the department and our university” said Shishir Shah, professor and department chair of computer science. “He has not only taught courses but has also revised teaching methodologies to help drive student success and retention.”
Teaching Innovations
Chen’s teaching portfolio includes COSC 1437 Introduction to Programming and COSC 6344 Visualization, courses that have benefited from his innovative teaching approaches and continuous improvement.
COSC 1437, a required course for undergraduate computer science majors, focuses on C++ programming and object-oriented programming. Chen was among the first in the department to integrate an online learning platform and an auto-grading system specifically for programming. He co-led a redesign of the course, transitioning it to a mastery learning format coupled with a flipped-classroom model.
In this format, students view lectures outside of class then engage in discussions, interactive quizzes, and hands-on programming exercises during the scheduled class time. The students prove their mastery of specific topics by passing topical tests. Multiple offerings of each topical test are administered to accommodate students’ different learning paces. This method has proven successful, becoming the standard format for the course.
In COSC 6344, a graduate course related to data science, Chen teaches students how data visualization can address practical problems across various domains. To enhance the course, Chen and a teaching assistant developed an auto-grading system for programming assignments and exams, which they found provided a more accurate assessment of student performance.
Fostering a Supportive Learning Environment
Chen emphasizes creating a learning environment that is both safe and supportive. This sentiment resonates with many of his students, who frequently describe him as approachable and encouraging.
“He maintains an attitude that encourages students to ask questions without feeling embarrassed or hesitant to speak up, fostering an enjoyable learning experience,” wrote one student recommender.
Another student remarked on Chen’s engaging teaching style, noting how he encouraged active participation during class. “I can still remember topics such as dynamic memory, classes, and inheritance, which I use daily in both my studies and research work.”
The same student likened Chen to a “lighthouse” for those lost navigating the vast and complex field of computer science and programming.
Since joining the department in 2012, Chen has graduated eight Ph.D. students, four M.S. students and mentored over 15 undergraduate research students, many of whom received awards and recognitions. His research interests include data visualization, computational topology, geometric modeling, geometry processing, and physically based simulation. Chen is also a recipient of the prestigious NSF CAREER Award.
Chen will be officially recognized with the award, which includes a plaque and $5,000, at the NSM Faculty Recognition Lunch on November 1, 2024.
- Matthew Pariyothorn, Department of Computer Science