Scaffolding Research Projects in Theory of Computing Courses

Abstract

Theory of Computing (ToC) is an important course in CS curricula because of its connections to other CS courses as a foundation for them. Traditional ToC course grading schemes are mostly exam-based, and sometimes a small weight for traditional proof-type assignments. Recent work experimented with a new type of assignment, namely a ``mock conference'' project wherein students approach and present ToC problems as if they were submitting to a ``real'' CS conference. In this paper we massively scaffold this existing project and provide our experiences in running such a conference in our own ToC course.