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Using visualization to teach parallel algorithms

Published: 01 March 1999 Publication History

Abstract

In this paper, we describe two related techniques for delivering instructional animations of parallel algorithms --- one that runs on a Microsoft Windows workstation and another that is Web-based. After discussing the techniques, we examine their use in two pedagogical settings --- one in which students merely watch the animations as an aid to achieving a better understanding of the algorithm and one in which students actively participate in constructing the animation. The former context is appropriate in a juniorsenior algorithms course where, because of time constraints, parallel algorithms are only one of several topics studied. The latter context is appropriate for a course dedicated to the study of parallel algorithms or for a senior capstone experience. We conclude the paper with an appraisal of the strengths and weaknesses of the techniques we have developed and with some indications of how these techniques could be extended in the future.

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    cover image ACM Conferences
    SIGCSE '99: The proceedings of the thirtieth SIGCSE technical symposium on Computer science education
    March 1999
    383 pages
    ISBN:1581130856
    DOI:10.1145/299649
    • Chairmen:
    • Jane Prey,
    • Bob Noonan
    Permission to make digital or hard copies of all or part of this work for personal or classroom use is granted without fee provided that copies are not made or distributed for profit or commercial advantage and that copies bear this notice and the full citation on the first page. Copyrights for components of this work owned by others than ACM must be honored. Abstracting with credit is permitted. To copy otherwise, or republish, to post on servers or to redistribute to lists, requires prior specific permission and/or a fee. Request permissions from [email protected]

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    Published: 01 March 1999

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    March 24 - 28, 1999
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    Cited By

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    • (2022)Using software visualization to support the teaching of distributed programmingThe Journal of Supercomputing10.1007/s11227-022-04805-979:4(3974-3998)Online publication date: 16-Sep-2022
    • (2021)Parallelism exploration in sequential algorithms via animation toolMultiagent and Grid Systems10.3233/MGS-21034717:2(145-158)Online publication date: 23-Aug-2021
    • (2019)Visualizing Classic Synchronization ProblemsProceedings of the 50th ACM Technical Symposium on Computer Science Education10.1145/3287324.3293708(1293-1293)Online publication date: 22-Feb-2019
    • (2019)Visualizing Classic Synchronization ProblemsProceedings of the 50th ACM Technical Symposium on Computer Science Education10.1145/3287324.3287467(934-940)Online publication date: 22-Feb-2019
    • (2019)ParaVis: A Library for Visualizing and Debugging Parallel Applications2019 IEEE International Parallel and Distributed Processing Symposium Workshops (IPDPSW)10.1109/IPDPSW.2019.00062(326-333)Online publication date: May-2019
    • (2018)Using Software Visualization for Supporting the Teaching of MapReduceNetwork and System Security10.1007/978-3-030-02744-5_26(349-360)Online publication date: 18-Dec-2018
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    • (2001)Creating visualization modules for a data communications and computer networks course using low-fidelity prototypingJournal of Computing Sciences in Colleges10.5555/775339.77537917:2(235-243)Online publication date: 1-Dec-2001
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