A groundbreaking program led by Rutgers University–New Brunswick Computer Science majors Maksims Kurjanovics Kravcenko and Kal Pandit, and created by their visionary instructor and mentor Dr. Ana Paula Centeno, is gaining national recognition for transforming challenging coursework into an inspiring and enjoyable experience.
Introducing Assignment Guru — a unique initiative within the Rutgers School of Arts and Sciences Department of Computer Science. This program recruits CS undergraduates to design engaging assignments that fuse core Computer Science concepts with fun challenges as pop culture references, as well as real-world and ethics-related applications. These assignments then become an integral part of the curriculum for newer CS students.
What makes it special? Assignment Guru boasts a growing library of peer-created assignments, including:
- "Infinity War": A multi-part graph data structure challenge inspired by Marvel’s Thanos saga
- "Murder Mystery”: Debugging meets detective work as students solve a fictional murder case
- “Election Analysis” in which students analyze Congressional elections to identify voter trends and changes in voter participation
- “Climate and Economic Justice” in which students analyze social and environmental issues in specific regions
Dr. Centeno envisioned this initiative and invited Max and Kal to lead the charge. Their leadership has been nothing short of exceptional, motivating peers, fostering creativity, and ensuring each assignment is rigorously developed and tested.
The Impact:
- About 42 students have contributed as creators.
- More than 5,000 new CS students have benefited from these assignments in their coursework.
- Recognized by the Special Interest Group on Computer Science Education (SIGCSE) in 2023 and 2024.
This is just one example of how Rutgers University students and faculty collaborate to pave innovative paths to success.
Congratulations to Max, Kal, Dr. Centeno, and the entire Assignment Guru team for setting the standard for creativity and leadership in education!
This article was initially posted on Rutgers University Chancellor Dr. Francine Conway's LinkedIn profile.
