Seminar: Putting the Human First: HCI Principles, AI-Enhanced Teaching, and What It Means to Educate Computer Scientists Today

_Abstract

We build technology for people. But too often, the people get forgotten along the way. This seminar explores what it means to keep the human at the center, both in the technology we design and in the way we teach Computer Science.

The first half is a 30-minute teaching demonstration on Introduction to Human-Computer Interaction. Through real-world examples like Norman Doors, contrasting web designs, and product failures, I walk through what HCI is, why it matters, and how it draws from Computer Science, Psychology, Design, and other fields. The session includes hands-on activities such as Think-Pair-Share and small-group design analysis. The goal is not just to cover content, but to show how I teach with active learning, student participation, and real-world connections baked into every class meeting.

The second half is about my broader vision as an educator and researcher. I share my teaching philosophy, which is grounded in active learning, scaffolded feedback, and inclusive course design. I discuss how I incorporate AI into my teaching practice, not by handing students AI tools and hoping for the best, but through a deliberate framework that uses AI to improve feedback, teaches students to use AI critically, and builds real AI literacy across the curriculum. I also outline my research in Computer Science Education, including work on mutation testing, automated assessment, and self-regulated learning. Finally, I discuss my service contributions and what I hope to bring to Virginia Tech's Department of Computer Science.

_Biography

Dr. Rifat Sabbir Mansur is an Assistant Professor of Teaching in the College of Information Sciences and Technology (IST) at Penn State Lehigh Valley. His research focuses on Artificial Intelligence in Education (AIED), particularly investigating how innovative assessment and feedback mechanisms can improve students' software development and testing skills. With expertise spanning Digital Education (DE), Software Engineering (SE), and Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Dr. Mansur explores the intersection of automated grading systems, mutation testing, and self-regulated learning to enhance programming education. Prior to joining Penn State, he earned his M.S. and Ph.D. in Computer Science from Virginia Tech, where he also served as a Graduate Instructor and later a Visiting Faculty. His work has been published in premier computing education venues including ACM SIGCSE, IEEE, CHI, and CSCW. Dr. Mansur brings valuable industry experience from working at Meta, where he developed ML-based systems for performance monitoring and regression detection, complementing his commitment to bridging theory and practice in technology education. He was also an active member of the computing education community, recognized with Outstanding Reviewer Awards at ACM SIGCSE and ITiCSE and the Best GTA Award at Virginia Tech.