WORLDCOMP 2012
Research and Teaching with Remo:
Student research projects and teaching for
and by undergraduate students
Dagmar Monett Mario Sänger
Talk at the 2012 International Conference on Frontiers in Education:
Computer Science and Computer Engineering, FECS 2012
Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, July 16-20, 2012

(Our) Motivation
 Undergraduate students teaching contents they
research in?
 Subjects of student research proposals for
improving teaching?
 Co-teaching models for instruction involving
undergraduate students?
Research projects and teaching
for and by undergraduate students
D. Monett / M. Sänger Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, July 16-20, 2012 2

Agenda
 BSEL, DCS, CS, and the AI course
 Student research projects
 Remo: Rule-based expert system modeler
 The sandwich principle
 Evaluating both teaching and Remo
 Lessons learned
 Conclusions
 Further work
D. Monett / M. Sänger Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, July 16-20, 2012 3

BSEL
 BSEL: Berlin School of Economics and Law
(University of Applied Sciences)
 5 “big” departments (like faculties) and 8 institutes
 ~ 9000 students
 > 50 degree programs (B. Sc., M. Sc., MBA)
D. Monett / M. Sänger Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, July 16-20, 2012 4

DCS
 DCS: Department of Cooperative Studies (former
Faculty of Company-Linked Programs)
 Cooperative program: full-time classroom study +
regular on-the-job trainings at business enterprises
 > 650 companies from Berlin and Germany
 Largest higher education institution for dual studies
in Berlin (focus on applied skills)
D. Monett / M. Sänger Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, July 16-20, 2012 5

CS Division
 CSD: Computer Science Division from the DCS
 Since 1993
 Certified B. Sc. in Computer Science degree
program (3 years, 210 ECTS-credits)
 Bachelor thesis = 15 ECTS-credits
(ECTS: European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System,
1 credit point = 30 hours of study)
D. Monett / M. Sänger Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, July 16-20, 2012 6

AI course
 Artificial Intelligence course
 Optional module in the 5th study semester
 7-ECTS
 Two main areas:
- Autonomous agents and multi-agent systems
- Knowledge-based systems
D. Monett / M. Sänger Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, July 16-20, 2012 7

D. Monett / M. Sänger Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, July 16-20, 2012 © freepik
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Student research project (SRP)
 2 SRPs (in the 4th and in the 5th theory semesters)
 1 SRP = 14 ECTS-credits
 Topics are mainly proposed by BSEL academic
supervisors
 1 SRP = 3-month theoretical + 3-month practical
phase
 To submit/present:
- Partial results in an oral presentation at a
“projects’ week”
- Written report of about 4000 words or 25 pages
long
D. Monett / M. Sänger Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, July 16-20, 2012 9

D. Monett / M. Sänger Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, July 16-20, 2012 10

Remo (i)
 Rule-based expert system modeler
 Entirely developed by an undergraduate student
 Topic of student research projects
 For modeling condition-action knowledge
 For analyzing reasoning algorithms’ functioning
 Uses the Eclipse Modeling Framework and the
Graphical Modeling Framework
D. Monett / M. Sänger Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, July 16-20, 2012 11

Graphical representation
of rule-based knowledge
Editor
Visualization of
inference processes
D. Monett / M. Sänger Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, July 16-20, 2012 12

Debug console
Stepwise execution of both data- and goal-driven
reasoning algorithms (forward/backward chaining)
Outline view
D. Monett / M. Sänger Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, July 16-20, 2012 13

Remo (iv)
 Graphical model transformation into other textual
representations
Export into Prolog syntax
 “IF … THEN …” format,
D. Monett / M. Sänger Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, July 16-20, 2012 14

Remo
in the
classroom…
© FNO Press, 2003
http://www.jerryking.com/
D. Monett / M. Sänger Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, July 16-20, 2012 15

D. Monett / M. Sänger Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, July 16-20, 2012 © Superpasi
16

Sandwich principle - What
 Combination of theory units with both practical
examples and exercises
 Passive + active learning
 Teaching new content (inference in expert systems)
vs. teaching own research (student research
project, Remo)
Breathing in / Breathing out !
D. Monett / M. Sänger Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, July 16-20, 2012 17

Sandwich principle - How
 Separate meetings (supervisor – undergraduate
student)
 Division of responsibilities (planning, teaching,
moderating learners’ work)
 Preparation of new content to teach, examples,
exercises, mock exam, teaching materials
 Co-teaching techniques (e.g. “one teaches, one
observes”, “team teaching”), didactic methods
 Continuous feedback, coaching, reflection
D. Monett / M. Sänger Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, July 16-20, 2012 18

Sandwich principle - Schedule
Min.
10 Remo I Introduction, SRP
10 Forward Chaining Theory, algorithm, functioning
20
10 Exercise Forward Chaining Practical part: FC
5 Remo II Technical details
15 Backward Chaining Theory, algorithm, functioning
10 Practical part: BC
15 Exercise Backward Chaining
30 Practical part: mock exam
50 Integrated Exercise
10 Questionnaire Evaluating teaching & Remo
D. Monett / M. Sänger Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, July 16-20, 2012 19

D. Monett / M. Sänger Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, July 16-20, 2012 © fotocommunity
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Evaluating…
 Survey questions: proposed by the undergraduate
student, discussed with the supervisor
 Wanted: Feedback from students about
- impact and use of Remo
- teaching by undergraduate students
 Conception, application, and analysis: by the
student…
 … part of his individual evaluation in the AI course
D. Monett / M. Sänger Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, July 16-20, 2012 21

Questionnaire Content and Scopes
(Ratings: on a six-point rating scale)
Nr. Main content Type Focus on
1 Teaching by undergraduate students Rating scale Teaching
2 Quality of the lecture when students Rating scale Teaching
teach
3 Sandwich principle and lecture’s Rating scale Teaching
structure supporting the learning process
4 Using sandwich principle and lecture’s Yes/No Teaching
structure in other courses
5 Suggestions for teaching improvement Open-ended Teaching
6 Remo supporting the learning process Rating scale Remo
7 Remo usage Rating scale Remo
8 Suggestions for usage improvement Open-ended Remo
9 Visualizing reasoning algorithms with Rating scale Remo
Remo
10 Suggestions for visualization Open-ended Remo
improvement
11 Suggestions for Remo improvement Open-ended Remo
D. Monett / M. Sänger Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, July 16-20, 2012 22

Survey results
 Lots of suggestions for improving Remo!
 Teaching by undergraduate students makes lecture
more interesting!
 Sandwich principle and lecture‘s structure support
learning process!
 Remo (and using it) supports learning process!
 Stepwise visualization of inference algorithms helps
understanding!
General wish:
apply to other modules of the curricula!
D. Monett / M. Sänger Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, July 16-20, 2012 23

D. Monett / M. Sänger Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, July 16-20, 2012 © freepik
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Lessons learned (i)
 Students teaching students:
- “common language” is shared!
- quality of individual learning is empowered!
- questions: openly and unbiased!
- relaxed atmosphere, but active participation!
 Like “real experts”: bidirectional support!
 Classmates are part of the software development!
 SRP: internal competition, new ideas, discussion!
 Sandwich principle and co-teaching welcomed!
- better balance frontal lecture vs. students’ needs
D. Monett / M. Sänger Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, July 16-20, 2012 25

Lessons learned (ii)
 Differentiated evaluation schema: should balance
course work and research. Plan it in advance!
 Delegate responsibilities! Decentralize lecturer’s
tasks!
 Seek topics and subjects for SRP in advance, plan
and prepare resources and content to be taught!
 Concert meetings with former developers and/or
teaching assistants. Document them (not only) for
having nice statistics! 
 A “must”: good supervision, constant support, co-work
D. Monett / M. Sänger Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, July 16-20, 2012 26

Lessons learned (iii)
What students say…
 Sänger (main developer):
- At the beginning: uncertainty and pessimism
about paper acceptance
- Significance of papers and publications not well
known
- But paper: like a certificate for further M.Sc.
studies
- Learned a lot working on the paper
- Nice, too: acceptance from others (classmates,
Profs, BSEL, etc.)
D. Monett / M. Sänger Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, July 16-20, 2012 27

Lessons learned (iv)
What students say…
 Schlufter (next developer):
- Remo usage and learning with it: relatively easy
- Extending the program code: a challenge, but
clear structure was used
- Graphic Modeling Framework: not so
straightforward…
- Priorities for further development are decisive
D. Monett / M. Sänger Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, July 16-20, 2012 28

© freepik Sänger
D. Monett / M. Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, July 16-20, 2012 29

Conclusions
 Support academic staff in research interests and
lectures! SRP help!
 Incorporate/enhance students’ soft skills like the
ability to teach!
 Prepare undergraduate students for academia!
 Stimulate research essentially focused in current
applied topics!
 Encourage early interest in publishing research
results!
D. Monett / M. Sänger Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, July 16-20, 2012 30

Conclusions
Bring together
student research projects and teaching!
(E.g., teach inference in expert systems using programs like
Remo, for modeling rule-based knowledge and reasoning
about it, developed by undergraduate students!)
D. Monett / M. Sänger Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, July 16-20, 2012 31

D. Monett / M. Sänger Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, July 16-20, 2012 © fotocommunity
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Further work
 Further development of Remo (To-do list with
necessary modifications and new features is
available!)
 Application of other co-teaching models
(Suitable?)
 Extension to other AI content (not just inference in
expert systems)
 Extension to other modules (taught by the
supervisor / collaboration with other professors)
D. Monett / M. Sänger Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, July 16-20, 2012 33

Images from
fotocommunity, freepik,
and pinterest.com
D. Monett / M. Sänger Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, July 16-20, 2012 © Essie A.
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WORLDCOMP 2012
Research and Teaching with Remo:
Student research projects and teaching for
and by undergraduate students
Dagmar Monett Mario Sänger
Talk at the 2012 International Conference on Frontiers in Education:
Computer Science and Computer Engineering, FECS 2012
Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, July 16-20, 2012