Linked Lists

As an undergraduate, I frequently taught Stanford's second computer science course: CS 106B (Programming Abstractions) and trained new section leaders (TAs). In these roles, I created resources to help students learn programming topics and help instructors teach them. For this project, I created a handout to help students better understand linked lists and a lesson plan to help new section leaders teach them.

For the instructor-facing lesson plan, I focused on structured outlines and step-by-step activities—such as live demos where section leaders have students point at each other to form a “human linked list.” This format relies on clear bullet points, minimal text, and references to typical discussion strategies so TAs could adapt it on the fly. The student-facing version was adapted from the instructor-facing version, so I wanted to follow the same structure while making it more visually appealing and concise. The student-facing review emphasizes engaging visuals, along with approachable language that breaks down pointer operations and code snippets. Rather than presenting overhead bullet lists, I used text boxes and simple diagrams that invite students to see each node as a “person” in line, harnessing a more relatable narrative. Regarding visual design and examples, I took extra care to color-code different types of information so learners could track references (eg. question vs. answer, example vs. explanation, and code vs. comment).

Across both documents, I aimed for a friendly tone that demystifies pointers and memory management, focusing on intuitive analogies rather than purely abstract diagrams. This experience ultimately honed my ability to tailor pedagogy and visual communication to varying contexts, whether it's empowering instructors with flexible, activity-driven guides or helping students feel confident tackling a complex topic through accessible, colorful summaries.

To improve upon the professionalism and accessability of these resources, I would like to make typed versions of the handouts in the future. Since this project, I have gone on to teach CS 103ACE at Stanford where I create weekly lesson plans and student resources. You can view these lessons at the fall 2024 103ACE website and the winter 2025 103ACE website.

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