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New Opportunities to Solve Healthcare Challenges with AI

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New Opportunities to Solve Healthcare Challenges with AI

An Interview with Dr. Jimeng Sun about the new Deep Learning for Healthcare Specialization on Coursera

Artificial intelligence and deep learning are being used to solve important challenges in the field of healthcare, and these innovations are being made possible through the groundbreaking efforts of visionary practitioners who work at the intersection of health and computer science. 

With the launch of the new Deep Learning for Healthcare Specialization on Coursera, anyone interested in solving real-world healthcare problems can now explore how deep learning methods can be applied to these pressing global issues.

Dr. Jimeng Sun, the Health Innovation Professor at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, leads the new Specialization. 

With his dual expertise in computer science and healthcare, Dr. Sun is a highly influential voice at the intersection of technology and healthcare. He was recently recognized as one of the Top 100 AI Leaders in Drug Discovery and Advanced Healthcare by Deep Knowledge Analytics. Through his roles as both researcher and academic, he is not only driving innovation in the field but is also helping to train new generations of talent.

We spoke with Dr. Sun recently about the new Deep Learning for Healthcare Specialization.

Professor Sun, how does your background in both industry and academia inform your interest in teaching Deep Learning for Healthcare on Coursera?

My previous work in academia was at the College of Computing at the Georgia Institute of Technology. Prior to that, I was on the industry side through my work at IBM. 

I have been teaching big data for healthcare for years, and I find that students have always been interested in knowing more about deep learning and its real-world applications. My PhD students are able to do a lot of research and publish their work on the topic of deep learning for healthcare. I think I’m ready to offer this topic to a broader student population.

What background does a learner need to succeed in the Deep Learning for Healthcare Specialization?

This is designed to be an introductory graduate-level Specialization. Students will need a strong Python programming background, but while a machine learning background is recommended, it is not essential. And, students do not need a background in healthcare. 

Previously, I have worked with students who are coming directly out of a bachelor’s program, and I have also worked with students who are CEOs of large medical record companies. This Specialization is designed for almost any learner around the world.

The goal here is to help students develop a basic understanding of deep learning and how they might apply it in their own careers. 

What excites you about teaching deep learning on Coursera?

I have been providing my courses in an online format for years, but the potential scale and quality of coursework that I can provide via Coursera are particularly exciting. In the past, I’ve had to put a cap on the number of students in my classrooms because I couldn’t find enough teacher assistants, but this Specialization will give me access to broader student populations and relieve that pressure. 

Plus, I am able to provide quality content in a condensed time frame through the online delivery of these Coursera modules, which will give both my students and myself more time to focus on our research and projects.

That’s a great segue to our next question—what are some of the key ways learners will benefit from this Specialization?

First off, the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign has one of the leading graduate Computer Science programs in the country (most recently ranked 5th by US News and World Report in 2018). This is a large, very strong, integrated computer science program that provides ample engagement between students and professors.

Secondly, this Specialization is very method-oriented. In the past, other courses that have focused on AI and healthcare have had more of a “follow-the-problem” approach. But in this Specialization, we will be focusing on methodology. Students will first learn the deep learning method and then apply that method to a healthcare setting.

You mentioned other settings where these skills can be applied. Can you tell us more?

Because the deep learning methods I teach can be applied to any industry, students who have completed my Deep Learning for Healthcare courses have gone on to roles in finance, manufacturing, technology, and more—not just healthcare. 

As someone who is leading the way when it comes to applying these transformative technologies to pressing global challenges like those we see in healthcare, is there a message you’d like to share with learners who are interested in building their careers in this field?

I would say that while much of deep learning and the processes within it are still in their early stages, the future of this work—and its real-world impact—is boundless.

~

We are so grateful to Dr. Sun for sharing his insights, and in addition to the many benefits associated with this new program that we discussed above, we also want to highlight the fact that when you enroll in the full University of Illinois’ Master of Computer Science program, the work you complete in this Specialization can be applied towards your degree.

The University of Illinois was the first North American university to offer a full degree on the Coursera platform, and we are thrilled to expand our offerings together to include Deep Learning for Healthcare as one of our newest specializations. Learn more and register today!

What Is User Acceptance Testing (UAT)?

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What Is User Acceptance Testing (UAT)?
What Is User Acceptance Testing (UAT)?

In 2020, a survey by Original Software found that almost 90% of respondents agreed that user acceptance testing (UAT) is a key part of achieving high-quality results in software development. But what is user acceptance testing?

User acceptance testing is the final testing stage in software development before production. It’s used to get feedback from users who test the software and its user interface (UI). UAT is usually done manually, with users creating real-world situations and testing how the software reacts and performs. Test-case scenarios can also be automated, simulating a user experience.

As its name suggests, UAT is used to determine if end-users accept software before it’s made public. Client or business requirements determine whether it fulfills the expectations originally set in its development.

Below, we’ll take a closer look at UAT and how it’s performed, why it’s so important, tools and best practices, and some of the careers that utilize it.

Why is user acceptance testing important?

UAT is vital in getting software ready for production. At this point in the development process, testing has gone through a series of phases, and the development team has the following tests:

  • Unit (or component) testing: Testing of individual modules, units of code, or software.
  • Smoke tests: Tests to determine the stability of units or modules and their endurance.
  • Integration tests: Tests of modules or components integrated into groups to verify that they function and communicate as a whole.
  • Regression tests: Tests to verify that data and functionality haven’t lapsed after changes are implemented.
  • Security tests: Tests to expose potential vulnerabilities.
  • Performance tests: Testing the stability and responsiveness of the software as a whole.
  • API testing: Testing the software’s function within its API framework.

Each test above is crucial, and the results of each verify functionality, integration, and communication while exposing faults and vulnerabilities.

But even if all these tests are successful, it’s still possible that the software doesn’t fully meet the client or business requirements and criteria outlined in its conception. It also may not be as user-friendly as intended.

This is where UAT plays a vital role. It ensures the software meets the business requirements and operates correctly in real-world circumstances by evaluating different situations.

Criteria and best practices for user acceptance testing

Due to the costliness of UAT and the complexity of combining manual and automated testing in this phase, it’s important to prepare ahead and develop a plan. What are the criteria for running user acceptance tests, and what are considered best practices for successful results?

  • Complete other test phases: Before initiating UAT, it’s best to finish unit testing, integration testing, and system testing. Most faults and vulnerabilities should be resolved and eliminated at this point. The software should be fully functioning prior to end-user acceptance.
  • Identify your target audience: The most well-designed software or application may fall flat if it doesn’t resonate with its target audience, so it’s crucial to identify and study your market base.
  • Develop a test plan: Outline the objectives and scope of the user acceptance test and create a timeline. Good preparation is key in minimizing any obstacles and reducing UAT cycles.
  • Create scripted test cases: Identify scenarios you want to test and document them so that testers can work with scripted test cases. Having this information will make their feedback more useful for the development team. Include goals such as timelines and expectations.
  • Select testers: Even if in-house analysts are used for running UAT, it’s advisable to include users from the target audience. Both sets of results will have their respective value to the team, but the actual users will give you a picture of the real-world acceptance of the software and its UI.
  • Test the environment: After selecting testers and providing them with credentials and access, test the environment to make sure it functions as intended. Failure to do this might result in frustration and negative feedback if functionality is less than adequate even before testing begins.
  • Determine protocols for reports and resolutions: Establish a standard for reporting errors, bugs, and other test feedback. Determine priorities and documentation protocol. Communicate to team members and testers how reports will be handled and how new test cycles will be initiated.
  • Clearly define acceptance criteria: Clearly defined goals and criteria will determine the effectiveness of the UAT and have a direct impact on the quality and marketability of the end product.

As a testing plan is created and a timeline is established, it’s good to keep in mind some of the challenges that may occur during the process. The team can then plan for and mitigate obstacles to the testing phase. Such obstacles include:

  • New requirements: Business and client requirements change over time. Last-minute changes can derail planned UAT, so stay on top of any adjustments that could cost time and resources if not implemented promptly.
  • Poor UAT tester engagement: Testers who lack training or clear objectives will be unable to produce test results that impact a project positively. Plan for training and proper oversight of the testing process to reduce wasted time and resources. Make sure your team can address technical issues and answer questions during the process.
  • Time constraints: Since UATs are conducted toward the end of a development project, just before it goes live, time may be limited. Proper planning is vital to avoid unnecessary delays.
  • Communication issues: Good communication removes ambiguity and promotes problem-solving rather than blame. If a clear and simple protocol for communication between testers and developers isn’t established, things can quickly spiral out of control.

Types of user acceptance tests

In general, user acceptance testing refers to testing among simulated and real users. But there are other facets of UAT that play a role in this phase of development as well.

Alpha testing

This is usually done by internal staff members in a controlled environment. It provides early detection of bugs and other issues that can be easily identified by professionals testing in the development environment.

Beta testing

Beta testing can be understood to be “field testing.” It’s done by a selected group of real users in their environment. Their feedback helps further identify bugs and improve the overall product and its features.

Business acceptance testing

This type of test follows the test case parameters, but its function is to ensure the system meets business requirements and assures marketability and profit.

Contract acceptance testing

In contract acceptance testing, the software under development is tested according to the specifications and criteria agreed upon in a predefined contract.

Regulation acceptance testing

This is also called compliance acceptance testing, and it’s used to ensure that the software complies with state and federal laws and regulations where it’s being released.

Operational acceptance testing

This type of acceptance test is also known as production acceptance testing or operational readiness testing. It assures that the software is ready for production and that workflows exist, including maintenance processes, security checks, user training, and backup plans.

Black box testing

Many categorize black box testing, or behavioral testing, as functional testing, but it can also be viewed as a facet of acceptance testing. Testers are unable to see the codebase or structure. They’re only given requirements that the software should satisfy. The results validate that the software meets its functional requirements.

Having a plan in place that’ll help ensure that UATs produce the desired results, the team can now prepare to execute the tests. Tools that are available to augment the process for acceptance testing can be categorized as follows:

Project management and issue tracking

Jira is a tool commonly used for project management and issue tracking. It has features for creating workflows, facilitating communication, tracking issues, and distributing tasks. Other similar products are Rally and Tricentis qTest.

Test management

Tools for creating tests and managing their execution and results are also available. An example is Zephyr, which can be used with Jira to provide test management capabilities. Other similar products are PractiTest, QMetry, and TestRail.

Tools for automated acceptance testing

Tools designed for automating testing or for software written in specific languages are also available. Some examples:

  • Concordion: Concordion is an open-source tool for automating specification by example for Java. It can be used for earlier stages of testing, such as regression testing, and it also facilitates collaboration and documentation in acceptance testing.
  • FitNesse: This is an open-source testing framework for major programming languages, such as Java, Python, and C++. It’s used for automating test scenarios and returning the results in a table for analysis.
  • Watir: This toolkit is designed for automating browser-based tests for programs written with Ruby.

Additional need for acceptance testing

While acceptance testing is typically performed just before production, there are other times when additional acceptance testing may need to be done, such as:

  • Phased releases: Some organizations release software or applications in phases. In cases like this, the UAT plan needs to include testing before each production phase.
  • Hotfixes: After release, bugs or vulnerabilities may be discovered that need to be fixed immediately. These patches will need at least minimal acceptance testing.
  • Additional releases, updates, or modifications: Nearly all software is periodically updated, and some organizations have multiple releases. Take Microsoft as an example. They generally produce Limited Distribution Releases (LDR) and General Distribution Releases (GDR). Each release, modification, or scheduled update requires acceptance testing for quality assurance.
  • Upgrades: Sometimes software is upgraded, meaning more is done than just an update. They may change features, redesign their UI, or evolve the software to be relevant to new technologies. Since a complete upgrade changes both client and business requirements significantly, extensive acceptance testing will likely be necessary.

Careers using UAT

Numerous careers connected to software development require either the implementation of acceptance testing or the leveraging of its results. Here are some examples:

  • UAT Contractor: A third-party tester with professional qualifications and a background in computer science, engineering, or IT.
  • Systems Analyst: A member of the development team who performs tests, analyzes results, and provides support and maintenance.
  • Business Analyst: A facilitator and mediator between the development team and stakeholders or management, ensuring that development follows the business requirements and criteria for marketability. You can learn business analysis skills by signing up for relevant courses.
  • Quality Assurance Engineers, Analysts, and Managers: Various positions assuring quality control and assurance within a software development project.

Many tech careers will either directly or indirectly involve acceptance testing. Check out the courses below to start learning some of the languages commonly used for software development and testing:

Code Foundations Courses & Tutorials | Codecademy

Interested in learning how to code, but unsure where to start? Our Code Foundations domain provides an overview of the main applications of programming and teaches important concepts that you’ll find in every programming language. This content will prepare you to chart a course to a more technical c…

What Is a Computer Network?

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What Is a Computer Network?
What Is a Computer Network?

Computer networks: Who hasn’t heard of them? We connect to them all the time, whether we’re at home, school, or work. But what exactly is a computer network, and what do developers need to know about them?

Simply stated, a computer network is a group of connected computers that share data with each other. A computer network can be as simple as two laptops connected by a short cable or as complex as the Internet — and yes, the Internet is a type of computer network.

Below, we’ll walk through the fundamentals of computer networks and how they work, basic networking terms, and common types of computer networks.

What do computer networks do?

Computer networks allow two or more computers to exchange, transmit, or share data and resources. And while early networks involved servers and later desktop computers, today, a “computer” on a network can be a laptop, smartphone, tablet, TV, speaker, or even a lightbulb.

Why are networks important?

Computer networks are everywhere we go. Most importantly, they let us quickly exchange ideas and files with each other. Without them, we’d still be relying on floppy disks and CDs. Today, computer networks allow us to share what’s on our computers and devices while managing what information is public or stays private.

Computer networks also allow us to use resources more efficiently. For example, companies can set up a single network printer accessible by everyone or a single shared storage drive instead of paying for separate storage for each computer.

Computer network terms

Here are some common network terms and devices that every developer should know.

Bandwidth

Bandwidth is a measure of network speed or how fast the network can transmit data. It’s typically measured in bits per second (bps), megabits per second (Mbps), or gigabits per second (Gbps).

Keep in mind that most networks’ bandwidth bottlenecks are caused by individual computers and Internet service providers (ISPs). Say you have an amazing setup that can handle 10 gigabits per second, but your ISP only offers Internet at 300 megabits per second — that’ll be the maximum speed for any Internet activity. Still, you’ll be able to transfer files within your network at much faster speeds.

Latency

When you want to transmit data within a network — whether to download something from a local file server or stream a movie from the Internet — there’s a delay between when you send your request and when the other computer on the network receives it. This delay is called latency.

Typical latency on a wired network might be 10 to 30 milliseconds. On a wireless network, latency could be 50 milliseconds or higher, depending on whether you’re connected through multiple wireless bridges.

How much does latency matter? It depends on what you’re using your network for. For example, latency can be a major issue if you’re using your network for gaming, videoconferencing, or phone calls.

No matter how fast your network can transmit data, it can only do so when it gets a request from your computer or device. Suppose you’re on a video call with someone in your local area. Even if your network has the bandwidth to send the data you need in just 5 milliseconds, if you have a latency speed of 70 milliseconds, it’ll take a total of 75 milliseconds to receive your data from the time you speak.

When significant, these latency speeds can even cause enough lag that you start to talk over each other. So, the next time you shop for Internet plans, be sure to ask about latency speed as well as bandwidth.

Ethernet

When people think about wired networks, they think of Ethernet and Ethernet cables. Ethernet refers to a universal technology standard for transmitting data over computer networks, much like how HDMI is a universal standard for transmitting video and audio. Ethernet cable standards include requirements for transmission speeds, cable length, connector type, and cable construction.

Since its introduction in 1980, the Ethernet standard has evolved to support higher speeds over longer distances. Today, there are several categories of Ethernet standard cables. Most homes and small networks use Category 5/5e or Category 6 cables, supporting transfer rates of 1 gigabit per second or more. The most advanced cables are Category 8, which can transmit data at 40 gigabits per second.

Modems

If you have a broadband Internet connection at home, then you may have noticed that you don’t access the Internet through an Ethernet cable, but rather some old-looking black cable known as a coaxial cable — the same type of cable that people once used to watch MTV and pay-per-view movies. How is that possible? With a modem, of course!

Modems convert one type of signal — like an analog signal from a coaxial cable — to a digital signal that can be transmitted wirelessly or via an Ethernet cable. On the flip side, when you send information via the Internet, your modem converts that digital signal into an analog signal. This signal is then transmitted over the coaxial cable to your ISP’s servers that communicate with the rest of the Internet.

Routers

Suppose you’re at home one evening and want to relax by streaming your favorite series. So you tap the screen on your tablet to pick up where you left off, and your cable modem takes that request and converts it to an analog signal to communicate with your ISP. But how does your modem know that you want to watch your series on your tablet and not your phone or your partner’s laptop? This is where routers come in.

Routers direct traffic within a network. They keep close track of who’s connected to the network by assigning each computer or device an Internet Protocol (IP) address.

When you want to stream from your tablet, your network router knows that the IP address associated with your tablet made the request. The router then communicates with your modem to get the content from your ISP and sends the data to your tablet, again using its IP address.

Think of a router as a central post office that organizes package deliveries so that they get to the right location as efficiently as possible.

Types of computer networks

We’re all part of various social networks of different sizes and functions, from small intimate family networks to enormous professional networks. It’s the same with computer networks. Here are the most common types of computer networks.

Personal area network (PAN)

Personal area networks (PANs) are among the most common types of computer networks. They’re also the smallest type of network.

A PAN typically consists of a single wireless modem connecting computers, printers, smartphones, and tablets. PANs are managed by a single person and from a single computer. Your home network is an example of a PAN.

Local area network (LAN)

LANs are among the oldest and simplest types of computer networks. LANs connect many computers and devices that are physically close to each other.

Typically, LANs consist of computers located in the same building, though some may span a small group of buildings (for example, within an office park). When you use a computer in an office building, it’s connected to a LAN that’s managed by the company’s IT department.

Wireless local area network (WLAN)

The biggest limitation of a traditional LAN is that everything is physically connected with network cables. That makes them impractical for portable devices like laptops and smartphones. In the 90s, the problem was solved with the invention of modern wireless local area networks (WLANs).

WLANs allow computers to communicate with modems and with each other using a wireless transmitter — no network cables needed.

Wide area network (WAN)

Whenever you connect to the Internet, you’re connecting to a wide area network (WAN). A WAN is essentially a decentralized network that allows groups of people to connect when they’re far away.

Imagine that you’ve just started a business with an office in your hometown. You probably have a LAN set up so that employees can communicate with each other as well as printers and other shared devices.

Now, suppose that you want to expand to another part of the country or world. How can you connect your offices without laying thousands of miles of Ethernet cable? WAN providers offer ways for multiple LANs to connect through VPNs or leased lines.

Metropolitan area network (MAN)

Metropolitan area networks (MANs) work similarly to WANs by connecting LANs. But MANs are set up over smaller geographic regions than WANs. And while a WAN may use public infrastructure such as cable and phone lines to transmit data, MANs might have their own dedicated lines.

Global area network (GAN)

Beyond WANs are global area networks (GANs). GANs connect computers, LANs, and WANs across an unlimited geographic area through servers, satellites, and long-distance cables. The Internet is the ultimate example of a GAN.

Who works with computer networks?

While everyone uses computer networks today, far fewer people work with them directly. Within companies and organizations, IT professionals are responsible for designing and managing LANs as well as controlling how they interact with WANs and GANs such as the Internet.

Since cybersecurity specialists are responsible for keeping data secure, they need to understand how all of these different computer networks work.

Back-End Developers and Full-Stack Developers also need to understand computer networks. While they’re not responsible for setting them up, working with back-end languages like PHP requires these developers to know how their specific computer networks are set up. This helps make their back-end programs run as efficiently as possible.

All developers should know something about computer networks

Whether you’re a cybersecurity specialist or a Front-End Developer working on JavaScript applications for the web, understanding how computer networks function will help make you a better programmer.But learning doesn’t end with computer networks. Why not take an online programming course to build your developer skills and keep them sharp? Or, if you’re not sure what to learn next, take a look at our career paths to help you decide what to focus on.

Computer Science Courses & Tutorials | Codecademy

Computer Science, often referred to as “CS,” is a broad term that covers many sub-disciplines, including the worlds of software *and* hardware. It can be found in every piece of technology you use, from a smartphone or gaming console to a car or ATM. With so many applications for Computer Science, t…

How To Write a Computer Science Cover Letter That’ll Get You Noticed

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How To Write a Computer Science Cover Letter That’ll Get You Noticed

It’s not uncommon for hiring managers to sift through a hundred applications for a single position — especially for in-demand, well-paid jobs in computer science. When competition is this high, every part of your application matters, including your cover letter. A good one can be the difference between no response and landing an interview.

Of course, writing a cover letter can be daunting, and it’s easy to put it off. So if the task “write cover letter” has been sitting on your to-do list for a while, here are some tips to get you started, including a fully written example.

A few things to keep in mind before you start writing

Keywords

Some recruiters use software that leverages keywords to help them sift through applications. There are a number of different positions you may qualify for if you have a degree in computer science, like Data Scientist, Software Engineer, or Computer Science Engineer. And depending on the position you’re applying to, some of the keywords in your cover letter may change. That’s right — keywords aren’t just for resumes.

A quick way to tell which keywords you should focus on is by reviewing the responsibilities section of a job description. Oftentimes, you’ll find these listed with bullet points, but not always. If a specific programming language or technology is listed, that’s likely a keyword. You might also find certain skills listed that are keywords, like “information retrieval” or “knowledge of distribution systems.”

If you have these in mind before you start writing, they can help you pick out which details to discuss in your cover letter. And this can save you a lot of time and anguish when trying to decide which details to include in your letter. That said, you don’t have to stress too much about stuffing your application full of keywords. More than likely, if you’re a good fit for the role, you’ll end up including many of these keywords in your application without even thinking about it.

Length & tone

It’s easy to get overwhelmed before you even start writing your cover letter, but keep in mind that it’s a pretty short document. In fact, your cover letter shouldn’t be more than one page, so don’t be afraid to get to your point quickly.

As for the tone, keep it professional, but you also want your letter to sound like you — not a robot. Also, you’ll want to adjust the tone depending on the company you’re applying to. For example, if you’re applying to a casual startup, you can use a less formal tone than if you were applying to, say, an international bank.

Customization is important

Remember how hiring managers have tons of applications to go through? Well, one thing that’s sure to land your application in the “no” pile is a form letter, which is a generalized cover letter that’s submitted to each and every job you apply to. Since they aren’t customized to the job, this can be a dead giveaway that you didn’t take the time to learn about the company or the specifics of the role.

Tweaking the text in each cover letter you submit doesn’t have to take long — it could be as quick as a couple minutes. But these quick changes go a long way when applying to jobs.

How to write a computer science cover letter

There are five main sections in a cover letter: heading, greeting, introduction paragraph, body paragraphs, and closing. Here’s what to include in each of these sections.

Heading

The heading includes your name, email address, and phone number. Links to your portfolio and LinkedIn profile can also go here, but those are optional.

Greeting

If the job description doesn’t say who to address your cover letter to, you can look on the company’s website or LinkedIn for the hiring manager’s name. But if you can’t easily find it, just use a general “Dear Hiring Manager.” You don’t need to spend too much time on this — the hiring manager would rather you spend time actually writing your cover letter than looking for their name.

If you’re wondering about the section on some cover letters with the date, applicant’s name and physical address, and the recipient’s name and physical address, you can skip this section. It was standard when applications were submitted by mail, but since they’re sent digitally now, this section isn’t necessary.

Introduction paragraph

The opening paragraph doesn’t need to be more than a couple sentences. It simply let’s the hiring manager know who you are and the position you’re applying to. So your first sentence could be something like, “My name is Johnathan Scott, and I’m excited to apply for the Junior Software Engineer position at LC and Associates.”

And the next sentence could include another bit of information about you, like “My experience building apps for Android and iOS, as well as my proficiency in Python and Java, would make me a great addition to your team and company.”

Body paragraphs

The next two or three paragraphs are where you want to go into detail about why you’d be the best person for this specific job. But don’t just repeat details on your resume. This is your chance to tell the hiring manager something extra.

For example, are you a really fast coder? If so, this is a detail that’s likely not found on your resume but is something that the hiring team would be interested to know. Talk about a time when this skill had an impact on your work, like meeting a big deadline.

You can also pick one or two of your soft skills to highlight in these paragraphs, while also adding in specific results whenever possible. For example, let’s say your team worked to re-architect a multi-page web app to a single-page web app, and that resulted in boosting yearly revenue by $1.4 million. When it came time to present this work, you gave the presentation because you’re a great presenter and often the one on the team who takes on this task. So you’ll want to describe this, and add in that line about boosting revenue.

Another detail you can include here is your passion for the company’s mission. Many companies, particularly startups, are explicitly mission-driven, and you can find their mission on their website. If you’re specifically excited to join the company because of the work they’re doing on a larger scale, say so in your cover letter. It’s a great way to signal the enthusiasm you’d bring to the team.

If there’s an area in your application that might be seen as a red flag, you’ll want to address that in this section as well. This might be an employment gap or if you’re applying without a formal degree.

Closing

Your closing can be a sentence or two showing your excitement for the role, or simply, “Thank you for your time and consideration, and I look forward to speaking with you soon.” Short and sweet is the name of the game here.

Computer science cover letter example

Here’s a sample of a computer science cover letter.

Hello Diana,

I am excited to submit my application for the Junior Software Engineer position at LC and Associates. My B.S. in Computer Science, two years of experience building apps for Windows, Android, and iOS, and proficiency in Python and C++ would make me a valuable addition to your team.

While working as a Software Engineer Intern at Microworks, I became the go-to engineer when one of my teammates needed help finding and fixing bugs in their code. They put their trust in me when something wasn’t working, and I took that responsibility seriously. As I developed this skill, I noticed that my own programming skills improved significantly. And by the end of my internship, I was coding in Python and C++ with ease.

With over a year of experience freelancing on web development projects, I’ve learned how to interact with clients from technical and non-technical backgrounds and meet tight deadlines, as well as how to work within budget constraints. These are also skills I’ll bring to your team working as a Junior Software Engineer.

I’m looking forward to discussing more about how my experience and skills can support the software engineering team at LC and Associates.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,

Johnathan Scott

One more thing: Don’t forget to edit

You’ve heard this before, but it’s worth mentioning again, because a poorly edited cover letter can land your application in the “no” pile. Read your cover letter multiple times to check for typos or sentences that are confusing. Read it out loud. Sleep on it, and then read it again. We even think it’s a great idea to call in a favor and have a friend or family member proofread your letter. Sometimes a fresh set of eyes is all you need.

What’s next?

After you’ve submitted your cover letter, it’s time to start prepping for your interview, which will include both technical and behavioral interview questions. If you’re looking for extra help, our Pass the Technical Interview Skill Paths can help you practice relevant technical skills.

If you want to brush up on other skills that you might be quizzed on during your interview, our courses can help. A few to consider are Discrete Math, Master Statistics with Python, Learn Python, and Learn Complex Data Structures.

Computer Science Courses & Tutorials | Codecademy

Computer Science, often referred to as “CS,” is a broad term that covers many sub-disciplines, including the worlds of software *and* hardware. It can be found in every piece of technology you use, from a smartphone or gaming console to a car or ATM. With so many applications for Computer Science, t…

GUEST POST: The Boxing Technique: Operationalizing Retrieval Practice to Improve Learning

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GUEST POST: The Boxing Technique: Operationalizing Retrieval Practice to Improve Learning

Dr. James Culhane earned his B.A. in Chemistry from Washington and Jefferson College in Washington, Pennsylvania and his Ph.D. in Pharmacology and Toxicology from the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology at the West Virginia University School of Medicine. Following the completion of his doctoral degree, he accepted a faculty appointment in the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nesbitt School of Pharmacy and Nursing at Wilkes University, where he served for 10 years. In 2008 he joined the administrative team at Notre Dame of Maryland University School of Pharmacy as the founding Chair of the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and is currently a Professor and Assistant Dean for Student Academic Success Programs. Dr. Culhane is an active member of the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP), and the American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics. He also holds an advanced academic coaching certification through the National Tutoring Association. He was named several times as an American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy Teacher of the Year and was the recipient of the Wilkes University Carpenter Award for excellence in teaching, service and scholarship in 2007.. Dr. Culhane’s research interests include the use of evidence-based learning strategies in studying, metacognition development and the role of academic coaching in student success. His forthcoming book, Evidence-Based Study Methods for Student Pharmacists, published by the American Pharmacists Association will feature much of the work he has done in these areas.

Several studies of undergraduate and graduate students have demonstrated that most tend to gravitate towards using ineffective and passive learning strategies to include re-reading and recopying notes, reading, highlighting and then re-reading the text, re-listening or re-watching lectures and engaging in cramming or blocking of study when they study (1) (2). In professional degree programs like pharmacy or medicine where students have to quickly learn large amounts of information, these approaches can significantly undermine the development of a durable, working knowledge base that is critical for academic success and effective patient care.

As a faculty member and academic coach, I spend considerable time helping students be more academically successful by improving their metacognition. This includes teaching them about evidence-based learning strategies like retrieval practice, spacing and elaboration and how to monitor and self-regulate their learning (3) (4). I have found that helping students to employ more effective learning strategies is not as simple as telling them to self-test more often or space out their studying so as to avoid cramming and blocking. Many need to be shown how to implement these strategies, allowed to practice and then given feedback. This is especially important when students are learning about retrieval practice.

There are three common pitfalls that I see my students fall into when they are first learning to implement retrieval practice in their study. Many will engage in retrieval immediately following restudy of information rather than spacing it out. This can create an illusion of knowledge and negates the benefits of introducing desirable difficulties into their recall practice (5). I also find that students will spend excessive time converting learning materials to other formats like flash cards in preparation for retrieval practice, rather than using that time to engage in retrieval practice.  Finally, it is not always intuitive to my students that tracking and monitoring the success of their retrieval practice can help provide them with valuable data to gauge the success of their learning and regulate future study.

My students and I have developed an easy to learn and implement methodology for operationalizing retrieval practice, which we call the Boxing Technique. It can be used on any Word or Power Point based learning materials, and can help students to track and monitor their learning in real time, so that they can make more strategic decisions about future study.

To implement the Boxing Technique students must first open a Word or Power Point file that contains information from class that they need to learn. For this example, we will use Power Point slides. As the student goes through each slide they are instructed to critically read and evaluate the information. As part of the evaluation, the student should attempt to briefly summarize important concepts on the slide or page and identify what key concepts need to be learned. Once this has been achieved a blue “box” (square or rectangle) is drawn over information contained in the slide. Students are encouraged to use blue boxes when they initially cover up information as this color designates that active recall on this information has not yet been attempted.

How Much of Your Life Do You Share Online?

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How Much of Your Life Do You Share Online?

Are there times when baring personal details online has helped you connect with others or find community? Are there parts of your life you do not feel comfortable posting about publicly?

Do you think your answers to these questions would be different if you were part of one of Hollywood’s most famous families?

In “Hollywood’s First Family of Putting It Out There,” Jon Caramanica writes about the Smith family, which has shared “unexpectedly vulnerable” conversations with their large online audience:

On the first page of Will Smith’s recent memoir “Will,” the global superstar recounts a gruesome story of watching his father strike his mother in the side of the head so hard that she spit up blood. The early chapters of the book continue in much the same way — a young Will, naturally charismatic and eccentric, takes on the role of family entertainer to save his mother, himself and everyone else.

“I would be the golden child,” he writes. “My mother’s savior. My father’s usurper. It was going to be the performance of a lifetime. And over the next 40 years, I would never break character. Not once.”

That he became a perpetual conqueror in his films starting in the mid-1990s — an alien-defeater in “Men in Black,” a robot-defeater in “I, Robot,” a mutant-defeater in “I Am Legend,” a druglord-defeater in “Bad Boys,” a George Foreman-defeater in “Ali” — might have been a trauma response, but it also turned him into one of the world’s most bankable actors. Off camera, he behaved much as he did on camera, revealing little: an unknowable person beloved by millions.

Over the last couple of years, Smith’s muscles have slackened somewhat. He’s become a loose and only semi-rehearsed presence on Instagram and TikTok. In addition to his uncommonly vulnerable autobiography, he also recently appeared in a six-part YouTube Originals series, “Best Shape of My Life,” ostensibly about losing weight but more about the deepening fissures in the outer shell of his public-facing character. For decades, he became one with his hardened facade; now he’s melting it down.

This pivot to transparency makes him the patriarch of a family that has lately made intimacy its stock in trade. The Smiths — Will, 53; his wife, Jada, 50; their children, Jaden, 23, and Willow, 21 — have become the first family of putting it all out there. Between Will’s newfound chill, Jada and Willow’s cut-to-the-quick chat show “Red Table Talk” and Willow and Jaden’s music, the Smiths have remade an elite old Hollywood unit for the new era of reality-driven celebrity.

Their path has been the opposite of, say, the Kardashians’, the platonic ideal of the reality-TV clan that willed itself into more traditional stardom (forever blurring the lines between old and new fame along the way). The Smiths, by contrast, have downshifted from a conventional style of celebrity into the more fraught and garish one and, crucially, have done so with a kind of grace — shocking, especially given the intensity of some of the revelations at play.

Theirs is a perfectly timed reframing for the age of online confessional and trauma-based personal brands, especially for a family in which the parents are receding from the camera eye, and the children were famous before they ever had a choice to opt out. It is also a profound validation of the power of emotional directness and its destigmatization for the famous, turning the sorts of revelations that would have been relegated to salacious tabloids and unauthorized biographies in earlier eras into the stuff of self-empowerment.

Want more writing prompts? You can find all our questions in our Student Opinion column. Teachers, check out this guide to learn how you can incorporate them into your classroom.

Students 13 and older in the United States and Britain, and 16 and older elsewhere, are invited to comment. All comments are moderated by the Learning Network staff, but please keep in mind that once your comment is accepted, it will be made public.

Lesson of the Day: ‘What Is Black Love Today?’

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Lesson of the Day: ‘What Is Black Love Today?’

Featured Series: “What Is Black Love Today?”

In a special collaboration between Modern Love and Black History, Continued, The Times asked readers and well-known writers to respond to the question “What is Black love today?”

In this lesson, you will do a close reading of one of the essays in the collection. Then, you will write a love story or poem about love in your family or community.

Read “What Is Black Love Today?,” a short essay written by Veronica Chambers to introduce the Modern Love collection. As you read, use the following prompts to help you annotate Ms. Chambers’s introduction. You can either take notes in a journal or write directly on this PDF copy.

  • Circle or write down words or phrases that stand out to you.

  • Make one connection with an idea explored in the text.

  • Underline the main idea, or the purpose, of the collection.

Then, reflect: What is your reaction to Ms. Chambers’s words? What are you looking forward to reading or discovering in these essays?

Choose one of the four essays below from the collection and read it in its entirety.

  • “Was It Me? Or My Teeth?” by Damon Young
    In America, a smile is like a résumé. I was afraid mine wasn’t closing the deal.

Then, respond to the questions below.

1. How does the author hook you at the beginning of the essay? Describe what engaged you as a reader in the opening paragraph.

2. What is the main idea of the essay? How can that idea be traced through the narrative arc of the essay?

3. Choose one literary device that was used in the essay — metaphor, simile, imagery, symbol and so on — and interpret the meaning. Why do you think the author used that device?

4. Choose one rhetorical device — for example, figurative language, diction, syntax or tone — and interpret one use of it in the essay.

5. Choose one sentence or passage that you found particularly moving or meaningful. What brought that passage to life for you?

6. Return to the purpose of the series and the guiding question “What is Black love today?” How does the writer respond to that question in the essay?

7. How do you feel after reading the essay? What is one question you would ask the author?

Now you’re going to write your own love story or poem about what love looks like in your family or community. You do not necessarily need to write about romantic love; you can also explore the love you have for your friends, family, teachers, pets or anything else.

Once you have identified a love you would like to write about, choose one of the options below to kick off your writing.

Option 1: Write a short story inspired by an image.

Allow the image in this Picture Prompt to inspire a short story about love. (Perhaps the image reminds you of a relationship or connection with someone in your life.) You can share your short story with classmates or in the comments section of the Picture Prompt.

Option 2: Write a love poem.

Read the poem in this Student Opinion prompt that describes an everyday gesture — tying a bow tie — as a “miniature motion of love.” Then, write a poetic response to the question What does love feel like to you? You can share your response in the comments section or with classmates.

Option 3: Write a Tiny Love Story.

The essays you read are from the Modern Love column, whose editors created Tiny Love Stories, a series in which readers share a personal story about love in fewer than 100 words. We have a whole lesson plan to support the process of writing a Tiny Love Story, and you can find some examples from the column in this PDF.

When you’re ready to write, tell us a story about someone or something you love in fewer than 100 words.

You can share your short love story in the comments section or, if you like, you can revise your work and submit it to the Modern Love column for a chance to be published.

Teachers: If you want to learn more about teaching with the “Black, History, Continued” series, join us on March 24 for a webinar with Veronica Chambers to get ideas for the classroom and to discuss the continuing importance of exploring pivotal moments and transformative figures in Black history.

Want more Lessons of the Day? You can find them all here.

Up in a Tree

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Up in a Tree

Use your imagination to write the opening of a short story or poem inspired by this illustration — or, tell us about a memory from your own life that this image makes you think of.

Tell us in the comments, then read the related essay to learn more.

Want more Picture Prompts? Find them all in this column.

Students 13 and older in the United States and Britain, and 16 and older elsewhere, are invited to comment. All comments are moderated by the Learning Network staff, but please keep in mind that once your comment is accepted, it will be made public.

Word of the Day: slake

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Word of the Day: slake

The word slake has appeared in two articles on NYTimes.com in the past year, including on Aug. 19 in “New Crime Novels from Louise Penny and Silvia Moreno-Garcia” by Sarah Weinman:

With her third novel, Megan Collins may have unlocked a new level of fictional discourse on the true-crime industrial complex. The Family Plot (Atria, 320 pp., $27) is dedicated to “the murderinos,” people who are borderline obsessed with true crime and have created a rich fandom surrounding the many podcasts, documentaries and books that slake true-crime appetites.

Can you correctly use the word slake in a sentence?

Based on the definition and example provided, write a sentence using today’s Word of the Day and share it as a comment on this article. It is most important that your sentence makes sense and demonstrates that you understand the word’s definition, but we also encourage you to be creative and have fun.

Then, read some of the other sentences students have submitted and use the “Recommend” button to vote for two original sentences that stand out to you.

If you want a better idea of how slake can be used in a sentence, read these usage examples on Vocabulary.com.

If you enjoy this daily challenge, try one of our monthly vocabulary challenges.

Students ages 13 and older in the United States and the United Kingdom, and 16 and older elsewhere, can comment. All comments are moderated by the Learning Network staff.

Film Club: ‘The Joy of Cooking (Insects)’

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Film Club: ‘The Joy of Cooking (Insects)’

Melting ice sheets, rampant wildfires, devastating floods. Climate change is a global emergency. The food system? It causes as much as a third of global greenhouse gas emissions, and unless we make major adjustments to the food we eat and how we produce it, we’re cooked. One of those dietary changes we need to consider might even make you a little squeamish. “And we’re going to finish it off with some whole grasshoppers.” Yeah, we’re talking about insects, specifically eating them. We know what you’re feeling: Repulsion, right? For most Americans, insects are signifiers of filth that need to be exterminated, not consumed. Our supermarkets, rather than promoting insect-eating, devote a significant amount of shelf space to products that eradicate them. Fortunately, tastes can change. Foods that were once deemed disgusting are now ordinary fare, even a luxury. We’ll come back to these guys later. But the problem is way bigger than just taste, it’s existential. A growing number of chefs, researchers, and entrepreneurs are urgently working toward a common goal: getting us to eat more bugs. “I don’t think there’s an insect I wouldn’t eat.” Here’s the problem. A growing middle class around the world is driving up the demand for meat, milk and eggs, and that will mean more livestock farming leading to more deforestation and other environmental harm and an increase in greenhouse gas emissions. “The paradox today is that our planet, on the one hand, is rapidly growing in both population and appetite. At the same time, it is shrinking in critical resources required to produce food. And unless this paradox is resolved, we are heading on a very concerning collision course.” And that’s where edible insects come in. They offer a sensible alternative to animals we typically eat. To understand this, we paid a visit to — “Entomo Farms is North America’s largest cricket producer.” — a cricket farm in Norwood, Ontario. “A lot of crickets.” This is Darren Goldin, who founded Entomo with his brothers. “I don’t think that there is a single, silver-bullet solution to the crises facing our planet, but I think insects are a very important piece of the solution.” Research into edible insects is still in its infancy, but the early evidence of their environmental advantages is very promising. Pound for pound, some species of insects produce far fewer greenhouse gas emissions and require far less water and land to raise than some conventional livestock. Insects are also very efficient at converting what they eat into body mass. That is high-quality food for us. They’re also really good for us. “Crickets are fantastic because of their nutritional makeup. The protein is very digestible by the human body. The mineral and vitamin content is super high. The chitin, which is the exoskeleton of the cricket, is a super beneficial fiber.” That’s some good eating. Too much too soon? Well, here’s a little secret. If you live in the United States, you’re chowing down on bug all the time. You just don’t know it. The Food and Drug Administration permits limited quantities of insect parts to slip into foods during the manufacturing process. What that means is — “There are going to be beetle parts in your flour or processed grains.” Do you drink coffee, eat chocolate, how about potato chips? They might all contain bug, but not everyone finds this gross. The United Nations estimates that some two billion people around the world have traditional diets that include insects. “Termites. Grasshoppers. Crickets.” By some accounts, more than 2,000 species of them. “Locusts. Bamboo worms. Cicada. Bee pollen.” [INTERPOSING VOICES] “Mealworms. Scorpions.” Insect eating has historically been more common in tropical countries where bugs are generally larger and more abundant, thus, they supply more protein and are easier to hunt. But that doesn’t fully explain our disgust. “When you’re wanting to understand why we have strong aversion to the idea of eating insects, you have to look at cultural explanations.” This is Julie Lesnik, an associate professor of anthropology at Wayne State University in Detroit. Her research has focused on the evolution of the human diet. “So if we look at the Age of Discovery, if we think of Columbus and other explorers leaving Europe in the 1400s, when they travel to the tropics and encounter people eating insects, what we see in their journals, in their letters is that they describe these people as beast-like. And so we have this association of eating insects as being this animalistic behavior, and that’s been used against the peoples around the world that have had insects as parts of their diets.” The point is, culture, not taste, often defines what’s edible, but that doesn’t mean we can’t change. Remember this guy? The lobster offers a fabulous lesson in rebranding. During the colonial era, lobsters were reviled by some as bottom feeders, suitable only for indentured servants and prisoners. Farmers ground them up to fertilize fields. Fishermen used their meat to bait more profitable catch like mackerel. According to one account, indentured servants in colonial Massachusetts took their masters to court because they were so repulsed by the amount of lobster they were fed. They won. The result? They only had to suffer three lobster servings a week, but by the late 19th century, the lobster’s makeover was well underway. It spread aided, in part, by improvements in refrigeration and by vacationers to New England who acquired a passion for it. A century later, the $30 lobster roll. Still not convinced? Until a few decades ago, sushi was not common outside of Japan. Now, of course, it’s a worldwide delicacy. Shrimp are cousins of locusts and grasshoppers. In fact, bug-eating advocates refer to these as land shrimp and these as sea crickets. But while shrimp are widely eaten in the West, locusts and grasshoppers are despised. See the double standard? It’s all in your head, not in your mouth. Venture capital and government funding is now surging into the edible insect sector. Startups like Entomo are transforming crickets and other bugs into a wide range of products for humans, pets and livestock. But if many insect farms have looked a lot like, well, farms, things are about to get pretty high-tech. In London, Ontario, the Aspire Food Group is building a state-of-the-art cricket breeding facility. “We have invested well over $40 million U.S. on research and development, both looking at the biological aspects of farming and running hundreds of experiments in different trials in different conditions.” Mohammed Ashour is pretty far from a traditional farmer. He’s the C.E.O. of Aspire. “We are expected to generate approximately 27 million data points on a daily basis on everything from temperature, to humidity, to certain types of gases and certain types of sounds to really understand the various parameters that affect and govern the growth of crickets.” In other words, they’re building an 11-story computer that will be raising billions of insects at a time. “Upon completion, it will be one of the most formidable and sustainable and scalable protein-production systems on the planet.” While saving the planet and ourselves are pretty solid rationales for eating more insects, that argument on its own may not carry the day. “Ultimately, what it’s really going to come down to, it’s got to taste delicious. Red peppers, shallots, sweet potatoes, corn, locust, Korean gochu peppers, little lime. Delicious, nutrient-dense and sustainable.’” Joseph Yoon is a chef based in New York City who has dedicated himself to the culinary exploration of edible insects. “’This is a delicious locust succotash, Brood X cicadas, flamed with sake. This cicada nymph kimchi just perfectly complements this egg. Oh, the fennel is popping as well. So you could have everything from lemony, citrusy black ants, nutty crickets, cheesy super worms, the minerality of the vespula flaviceps, or the vegetable nature of the cicadas. What does it taste like when boiled or roasted or fried? How does it taste in American food or in Asian food? Sauteed or fermented? All you need is a little imagination.” “We are now a lot closer to bridging the gap between the promise of crickets and how it translates commercially in the market as a better-for-you, highly affordable protein source.” “We don’t need to cut down any more forests. We don’t need to destroy any more natural ecosystems. We have what we need, not only to feed current population, but to feed the growing population into the future.” “What we need to do as adults is rein in our disgust response so that the kids around us can grow up with this as a viable food source for them.” “I have no doubt that insect protein will be integrated globally in just a matter of time. I mean, it’s inevitable. It’s smart. It’s efficient. It’s delicious.” Because remember, what’s loathed today might be loved tomorrow. Just ask the lobster. “Bug appetit.”

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