#10 — Focusing on the CS fundamentals
If you want to really learn, don't focus on the trendy technology
Learning Backwards
What does it mean to learn the fundamentals and concepts rather than the trendy technology? With this repository you can build a technical learning path and learn by practicing with a real product from the objective to the fundamentals (backwards).
Forcing yourself to learn, for example, what HTTP is, a REST API or how to deploy on your own will give you knowledge and will give you the resources to be able to understand each of the parts necessary to achieve the objective (backend, frontend, devops, deployment, monitoring...).
A good example is this platform (funded by YC) which basically designs these learning paths. It seems like a clear compass so you don't get lost in the sea of random tutorials.
🔍 Resources for Learning CS
→ MIT Learn – A New Hub for Online Learning
MIT has launched MIT Learn, a comprehensive AI-enabled platform that centralizes all of the MIT's non-degree learning opportunities in one accessible location. The platform provides access to over 12,700 educational resources, including MIT OpenCourseWare materials and videos, with the majority of the content available for free. Key features include "AskTim," an AI-powered recommendation system that helps users find courses aligned with their goals.
MIT Learn represents an evolution beyond MIT OpenCourseWare, serving as a unified gateway to MIT's entire ecosystem of lifelong learning opportunities while leveraging AI to personalize the learning experience.
Since the central theme of this post is fundamentals, what better way than to recommend Mathematics for Computer Science, which covers elementary discrete mathematics for science and engineering, with a focus on mathematical tools and proof techniques useful in computer science, and these 13 hand-picked resources from MIT OpenCourseWare and MITx to help you grasp the basics of AI and machine learning.
Enjoy the learning!
One good bite from the industry
→ In case it wasn't on your radar
John Collison from Stripe sits down with top tech people in a bar-style studio setting and they discuss great topics. I particularly enjoyed the conversations with the CEO of Anthropic and with Cruise cofounder Kyle Vogt.
A New Consortium for Integrating GenAI into CS Education
This consortium focuses on practical implementation by working with local organizations that have direct faculty access, developing both general and locally-contextualized course materials. Key activities include sharing educational resources and example courses, discussing latest research, and building a community of educators committed to integrating GenAI into CS teaching and learning.
The initiative is supported by Google and aims to empower educators who will collectively impact thousands of students. The consortium recognizes that this technological shift requires immediate action to ensure students receive relevant, future-ready computer science education.
Research on Professional Dispositions
Professional dispositions enable behaviors desirable in the workplace, such as persistence, adaptability, meticulousness, and self-directedness. Job postings list dispositions among the attributes expected of new hires. Most recent curricular guidelines (e.g., CS2023, CC2020, Data Science 2021, IT 2017, IS 2020) have emphasized the importance of dispositions in computing education. How do we help our students appreciate the importance of professional dispositions in an already jam-packed curriculum? How do we help develop professional dispositions among our students? This team is conducting a study to answer these questions. You can learn about the study at dispositions-project.org. If you are interested in joining their study, please fill out this form.
🔍 Resources for Teaching in CS Education
→ Are you clear about how your students should use AI?
I loved this video on AI in a writing class! It features useful framing and thoughtful ways to authentically engage CS students about AI use and provides concrete steps, such as an AI disclosure agreement form for students. I recommend taking a look at it:
If you want to go more directly to a resource, here's a framework for creating citations for AI use. The first step to understanding how your students use AI is to give them concrete direction to disclose it.
→ Great Ideas in Theoretical CS
This course by CMU is about the rigorous study of computation, which is a fundamental component of our universe, the societies we live in, the new technologies we discover, as well as the minds we use to understand these things. Therefore, having the right language and tools to study computation is important. In this course, they explore some of the central results and questions regarding the nature of computation.
🌎 Computing Education Community Highlights
Several new academic openings this week: 1) Loyola University Maryland is hiring a tenure-track assistant professor in computer science to start in fall 2026. You can find more details on their hiring page. 2) The Department of Mathematics and Statistics at Villanova University is recruiting for a tenure-track position in Statistics with the rank of Assistant Professor, also starting in fall 2026. Full details with a link to apply can be found here. 3) St. Olaf College is seeking a tenure-track Assistant Professor of Computer Science to join its growing program, doubling the number of majors (from the 20’s to the 40’s) in just a few years. Interested candidates can apply at this link. 4) Finally, The Department of Computer Science at Ithaca College also invites applications for a full-time, tenure-track position at the rank of Assistant Professor, starting August 2026. Applicants from all areas of computer science are welcome, with particular encouragement for those specializing in artificial intelligence, human-computer interaction, media-focused computation, computer systems, or cybersecurity. See the full ad and apply here.
Qianou Ma from CMU is looking for participants for a 60-minute Zoom study exploring how people use Generative AI and how they perceive AI-generated images. More info here.
32nd Annual CCSC Midwest Conference - September 19-20, 2025 at Wabash College, Crawfordsville, IN. Check out this website for all the details.
🤔 Thought For You to Ponder…
STUDYING WITH PEERS
I've been rereading Adam Grant's book Hidden Potential and there's one technique out of the more than forty in the book that has left me thinking about the potential of explaining what we've learned to others. Much research has shown that if we help our peers master a subject, our own results will improve exponentially. Why? Because when we have to explain something, we're forced to understand it thoroughly, to look for information we don't remember, and this consolidates knowledge. It has to do with "if you haven't really understood it, you can't explain it." This is precisely what I do with this newsletter: by explaining topics, I'm using the best way to learn and assimilate content. The same thing happens with languages: when you start speaking and ask yourself "how do you say this word," you look it up because you need it at that moment, and that's when it sticks in your memory.
From the teaching side, teaching what you know forces you to organize ideas, filter out the essentials, and translate them into your own words. And in that process, something magical happens: you move from vague understanding to understanding that sticks. When you teach, your memory activates, your attention increases, and your confidence sharpens. You feel useful.
📌 The PhD Student Is In
→ Starting my journey as a CS TA
Next week I start what will be my first experience as a CS TA. I'll be working with Dr. Victoria Hilford in the Fundamentals of Software Engineering course.
→ My week at UH at a glance
I started the week by meeting my teammate Mahdi in person - he does research in LLM security. Enjoyed the pulled pork sandwich at What It Do BBQ on the UH campus. Here you can learn a little more about our research group.
I randomly met Tuấn from Vietnam while we were both getting our university ID cards. Turns out he's doing his PhD in electrical engineering with a focus on HPC research. Super cool guy! This is a photo from the orientation sessions for new international students at UH.
🪁 Leisure Line
This week I tried pickleball for the first time and loved it. Coming from paddle tennis (very popular in Spain), I was able to adapt quickly. The hard part was the rules and scoring system... Give me time!
After pickleball and a needed swim, I took one of these local beers. It hit the spot! And Shiner is a Texas brand!
📖📺🍿 Currently Reading, Watching, Listening
I really liked Wonka. It has appeal, magic, visually it's pure fantasy, I had a great time with the musical numbers, and I laughed a lot. Its soundtrack is worth it:
That's all for this week. Thank you for your time. I value your feedback, as well as your suggestions for future editions. I look forward to hearing from you in the comments.
Quick Links 🔗
🎧 Listen to Computing Education Things Podcast
📖 Read my article on Vibe Coding Among CS Students
💌 Let's connect on LinkedIn or Instagram