Research

Research Areas

• Computer Science Education
• Active Learning
• CS1 and Software Testing

Projects

Critical Path Course Redesign for CSC316 Data Structures: Applying Theory to Practice

Funding: NC State DELTA Course Redesign Grant – 2015 [$30,772]

PIs: Jason King and Jessica Young Schmidt

Summary:
Our objectives are to develop supplemental resource materials and restructure course projects to improve (1) student ability to select appropriate data structures and algorithms for real-world scenarios; (2) student ability to incorporate data structure and algorithm theory into the software development lifecycle; and (3) student verbal and written technical communication skills. By strengthening ties to the prerequisite CSC216 and CSC226 courses, we will study student performance across semesters to empirically observe whether the redesign improves student comprehension of data structure and algorithm theory in computer science, as a whole, and within software engineering when developing efficient, scalable software solutions.

Incorporating Active Learning into CSC116

Funding: NC State DELTA Course Redesign Grant – 2015 [$18,778 + $16,111]

PI: Jessica Young Schmidt

Summary:
CSC116 is a critical path course for the Computer Science (CSC) major; it is the first CSC course that CSC majors are required to take. The distance section of the course is offered through Engineering Online (EOL); CSC116 is the first required CSC course for EOL’s Computer Programming Certificate. There are several challenges with the course, including high DFUW rates, not having as much active learning during class time as we would like, and restraints of time in the classroom. The goal of the project is to introduce more active learning in the class through in-class exercises and lecture videos. We will also incorporate more real world examples into the course and discuss examples that show that computer science is not just programming. We will work collaboratively with instructional designers and other DELTA personnel to provide the highest quality resources for students.

The grant will be used to support PI Schmidt, other CSC116 instructors, and a student worker during the 2015-2016 academic year in the development of resources to support the creation of more active learning activities and the purchase of visual example supplies.

Incorporating Critical & Creative Thinking into CSC116

Funding: TH!NK Faculty Development [$2,500]

Summary: Participating as a TH!NK Faculty to incorporate Higher-Order Skills in Critical & Creative Thinking into CSC116 (http://qep.ncsu.edu).

Publications:

• Jessica Young Schmidt, “Reviewing CS1 Materials through a Collaborative Software Engineering Exercise: An Experience Report,”The 51st ACM Technical Symposium on Computer Science Education (SIGCSE ’20), 2020. Third Best Paper for the Experience Reports and Tools Track
• Ana Vila-Parrish, Tameshia Ballard Baldwin, Tzvetelina Battestilli, Hailey Queen, Jessica Young Schmidt, and Sue Carson. “TH!NK: A Framework to Assess and Support Critical and Creative Thinking,” American Society for Engineering Education Proceedings, 2016.

Publications

Refereed Journal Articles

• Jessica D. Young, “Commitment Analysis to Operationalize Software Requirements from Privacy Policies,” Requirements Engineering Journal, vol. 16(1), pp. 33-46, March 2011. [link]

Refereed Magazine Articles

• Annie I. Antón, Julia B. Earp, and Jessica D. Young, “How Internet Users Privacy Concerns Have Evolved Since 2002,” IEEE Security & Privacy, vol. 8(1), pp. 21-27, January/February 2010. [link]

Refereed Conference Papers

• Jessica Young Schmidt, “Reviewing CS1 Materials through a Collaborative Software Engineering Exercise: An Experience Report,”The 51st ACM Technical Symposium on Computer Science Education (SIGCSE ’20), 2020. Third Best Paper for the Experience Reports and Tools Track [link]
• Ana Vila-Parrish, Tameshia Ballard Baldwin, Tzvetelina Battestilli, Hailey Queen, Jessica Young Schmidt, and Sue Carson. “TH!NK: A Framework to Assess and Support Critical and Creative Thinking,” American Society for Engineering Education Proceedings, 2016. [link]
• Jessica D. Young and Annie I. Antón, “A Method for Identifying Software Requirements Based on Policy Commitments,” Proceedings of 18th IEEE International Requirements Engineering Conference, pp. 47-56, 2010. [link]

Refereed Workshop Papers

• Sarah Heckman, Jessica Young Schmidt, and Jason King, “Integrating Testing Throughout the CS Curriculum,” The 1st International Software Testing Education (TestEd) Workshop, 2020.
• Jessica Young Schmidt, Annie I. Antón, and Julia B. Earp, “Assessing Identification of Compliance Requirements from Privacy Policies,” Proceedings of the 5th International Workshop on Requirements Engineering and Law, 2012. [link]
• Jessica Young Schmidt, Annie I. Antón, Laurie Williams, and Paul N. Otto, “The Role of Data Use Agreements in Specifying Legally Compliant Software Requirements,” Proceedings of the 4th International Workshop on Requirements Engineering and Law, pp. 1-4, 2011. [link]
• Jessica D. Young and Annie I. Antón, “Identifying Commitment-Based Software Requirements to Thwart Unfair and Deceptive Practices,” Proceedings of the 2nd International Workshop on Requirements Engineering and Law, pp. 19-20, 2009. [link]

Research Posters

• “Identifying Commitment-Based Software Requirements to Thwart Unfair and Deceptive Practices,” 2nd International Workshop on Requirements Engineering and Law, Atlanta, GA, 1 September 2009.
• “Towards a Theory of Software Requirements Commitments,” CRA-W Graduate Cohort Workshop, San Mateo, CA, 27 March 2009.
• “Behavioral Based Visual Queries,” Consortium for Computing Sciences in Colleges: Southeastern Conference, Lipscomb University, Nashville, TN, 10-11 November 2006.
• “Special Peoples Information Empowerment Site (SPIES): The Demand for a Web Portal Addressing the Needs of the Community of People with Disabilities,” Consortium for Computing Sciences in Colleges: Southeastern Conference, Lenoir-Rhyne College, Hickory, NC, 11 November 2005.

Invited Talks

• “From Privacy Policies to Software Requirements,” Roanoke College Mathematics, Computer Science and Physics (MCSP) Conversations, Salem, VA, 28 October 2010.

Dissertation

• Jessica Young Schmidt, Specifying Requirements Using Commitment, Privilege, and Right (CPR) Analysis, Ph.D. thesis, Computer Science, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, USA, May 2012. [link]