Hongxuan Chen

About Me

My name is Hongxuan Chen, and I am a fourth year PhD student in Computer Science at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC). I am passionate about CS education, and my research focuses on how students learn discrete mathematics and algorithm design. I am co-advised by Dr. Geoffrey Herman and Dr. Jeff Erickson.

Here is my cv (last updated: Feb 2025) and Google Scholar profile.

Hongxuan Chen's Profile Photo

Publications

Novice Difficulties in Graph Layering for Algorithm Design (Poster)

H Chen, K Braught, GL Herman, J Erickson

2025 ACM Technical Symposium on Computer Science Education (SIGCSE TS)

Measuring the Impact of Distractors on Student Learning Gains while Using Proof Blocks

S Poulsen, H Chen, Y Gertner, B Cosman, M West, GL Herman

2025 ACM Technical Symposium on Computer Science Education (SIGCSE TS)

Implementation of Split Deadlines in a Large CS1 Course

H Chen, A Li, G Challen, K Cunningham

2024 ACM Technical Symposium on Computer Science Education (SIGCSE TS)

Invited talk at the Computing Education Seminar at UC Davis (Remote, Oct 2024)

Disentangling the learning gains from reading a book chapter and completing proof blocks problems

S Poulsen, Y Gertner, H Chen, B Cosman, M West, GL Herman

2024 ACM Technical Symposium on Computer Science Education (SIGCSE TS)

Teaching Algorithm Design: A Literature Review (Poster)

J Liu, S Poulsen, H Chen, G Williams, Y Gertner, D Franklin

2024 ACM Technical Symposium on Computer Science Education (SIGCSE TS)

Student Autonomy in Collaborative Learning: Effects of Meeting Time and Team Consistency

H Chen, MM Fong, GL Herman, M Silva

2023 IEEE Frontiers in Education Conference (FIE)

Measuring the Impact of a Computational Linear Algebra Course on Students' Exam Performance in a Subsequent Numerical Methods Course

H Chen, M West, S Hilgenfeldt, M Silva

2023 ACM Technical Symposium on Computer Science Education (SIGCSE TS)

Validating an Observation Protocol for Structured Roles in Cooperative Learning

MM Fong, L Butler, H Chen, GL Herman

2022 IEEE Frontiers in Education Conference (FIE)

Developing an Observation Protocol for Cooperative Learning

M Fong, H Chen, L Butler, G Herman

2022 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Work in Progress: Exploring Students' Misconceptions of Cache Memories

MS Mahmood, H Chen, M Fong, G Herman

2022 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Novice Difficulties in Graph Layering for Algorithm Design (Poster)

H Chen, K Braught, GL Herman, J Erickson

2025 ACM Technical Symposium on Computer Science Education (SIGCSE TS)

Implementation of Split Deadlines in a Large CS1 Course

H Chen, A Li, G Challen, K Cunningham

2024 ACM Technical Symposium on Computer Science Education (SIGCSE TS)

Invited talk at the Computing Education Seminar at UC Davis (Remote, Oct 2024)

Student Autonomy in Collaborative Learning: Effects of Meeting Time and Team Consistency

H Chen, MM Fong, GL Herman, M Silva

2023 IEEE Frontiers in Education Conference (FIE)

Measuring the Impact of a Computational Linear Algebra Course on Students' Exam Performance in a Subsequent Numerical Methods Course

H Chen, M West, S Hilgenfeldt, M Silva

2023 ACM Technical Symposium on Computer Science Education (SIGCSE TS)

Teaching

I am passionate about teaching computer science and aspire to become a teaching professor.

I was a co-instructor for CS 233 Computer Architectures at UIUC in Spring 2024 with Morgan Fong, under the supervision of Dr. Geoffrey Herman, long-time instructor of that course. Morgan and I were in charge of every aspect of the course with a cohort size of around 280 students. Student performance was at the same level, if not better, compared with past semesters. More importantly, I got to practice my skills of class and team management, public speaking, communication and connection with students, and so on.

I also had experience working as a graduate teaching assistant for CS 233 and CS 173 (Discrete Mathematics), and undergraduate course assistant for CS 125 (CS1 course for our CS majors, now known as CS 124), CS 233, CS 374 (Algorithms and Models of Computation).

In summer 2020, when I was a junior in CS at UIUC, I worked for Girls Who Code as a teaching assistant. It was quite a fulfilling and inspiring experience, which eventually led me to the route of studying CS education and wanting to becoome a CS professor.