Akar Htut Kaung

Akar Htut Kaung

He/Him/His

Obsessed with getting robots to handle the chaos of the real world: dodging humans, adapting on the fly, and making decisions without hand-holding. I build intelligent systems that learn, plan, and move with purpose.

Graduate Instructor

University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
College of Science and Engineering
CSCI 3081W: Program Design and Development
Minneapolis, MN, USA
Semesters taught: Spring 2022, Fall 2022, Spring 2023

Course Description

Principles of programming design/analysis. Concepts in software development. Uses a programming project to illustrate key ideas in program design/development, data structures, debugging, files, I/O, testing, and coding standards.

Responsibilities

  • Delivered lectures on foundational programming principles, including program design, data structures, and software analysis.
  • Guided students through a significant programming project that applied core concepts in real-world coding.
  • Facilitated lab sessions focused on debugging techniques, file handling, input/output operations, and enforcing coding standards.
  • Developed and maintained course materials such as slides, assignments, and tests aligned with course goals.
  • Supervised and coordinated a team of 30+ teaching assistants to support student learning and consistent grading.

Key Achievements

  • Improved student comprehension and project quality through targeted workshops on debugging and testing best practices.
  • Integrated coding standards and style guidelines into assignments to promote clean, maintainable code.
  • Enhanced assessment turnaround with automated grading scripts and continuous feedback loops.
  • Fostered collaborative learning via peer programming and code review sessions.

Reflections

Teaching CSCI 3081W allowed me to deepen my understanding of software development education and refine my ability to communicate complex technical concepts effectively. The hands-on project approach provided students with invaluable experience bridging theory and practice.

Skills Gained

  • Technical: Program design and analysis, C++ programming, debugging, file I/O, unit testing, coding standards
  • Educational: Curriculum development, student mentorship, teaching assistant management
  • Leadership: Team coordination, course planning, educational assessment

Resources