Mr Jack Parkinson
- Tutor (School of Computing Science)
telephone:
01413308573
email:
Jack.Parkinson@glasgow.ac.uk
Biography
I have been teaching in the School of Computer Science in various roles since 2016, mostly in Level 1 courses and introductory programming modules. I completed my MSci in Computing Science at the University of Glasgow in 2018 before working as a research assistant with the Centre for Computing Science Education (CCSE) on the development and delivery of the University's first Graduate Apprenticeship Degree, in Software Engineering. I began my PhD entitled Exploiting the Relationship between Spatial Skills and Computing Science in 2019.
Research interests
Spatial Skills have been shown to be connected to success in STEM domains for decades; Computing Science is no exception. My work aims to tease out this relationship and identify specific ways in which computing and spatial ability are connected. The existing theory is that spatial skills tests and exercises rely upon an ability to develop and manipulate internal mental models, a process which also seems to apply to areas of computing (for example, construction of notional machines or identification and classification of elements in the Block Model).
Teaching
Current:
- Spatial Skills Training 1 (Course coordinator)
- CS1: Computational Thinking (Tutor)
- CS1: Computing Fundamentals (Tutor)
- CS1: Systems (Tutor)
- CS1: Python Programming (Standard and Alternate Routes) (Tutor)
- Faster Route: Succeeding in University Study in Computing Science (Technical Tutor)
- Pre-Sessional: Introductory Python (M) (Tutor)
- GA: Programming Summer School (Tutor)
Past:
- CS+ (Masters): Programming Systems and Development (Lab Assistant)
- GA: How to Learn a New Language (Demonstrator)
- Interactive Systems (H) (Lab Assistant)
- Cyber Security Fundamentals (H/M) (Lab Assistant)
Professional activities & recognition
Prizes, awards & distinctions
- 2018: ICER: Chair's Award (ACM)
- 2019: ITiCSE: Best Paper Award (ACM Europe)
Selected international presentations
- 2018: ICER (Aalto University, Finland)
Additional information
- Previously worked as a Research Assistant involved in the development (up to delivery) of the Graduate Apprenticeship in Software Engineering programme, the first Graduate Apprenticeship programme launched at the University of Glasgow
- Inaugural coordinator of the CCSE weekly seminar series
- Representative for Level 1 Tutors in Computing Science
- Member of the School of Computer Science's Tutor Working Group
- CCSE website coordinator and representative on the School of Computer Science's internal Website Committee