Owheo Building, Room 2.53
Tel +64 3 479 8314
Email anthony.robins@otago.ac.nz
My background is in psychology and linguistics at the University of Canterbury (NZ), and cognitive science at the University of Sussex (UK). I joined the department as a lecturer in artificial intelligence in August 1989. My main areas of research are neural networks and computer science education.
I am interested in neural networks as a tool for modeling cognition, with a particular focus on modeling aspects of memory and forgetting. Much of my research has explored the problem known as "catastrophic forgetting", and whether the "pseudorehearsal" solution that I propose has anything to do with dreams (the consolidation of learning during sleep). I am part of the artificial intelligence group, which includes such topics such as defeasible reasoning.
My second main research focus is computer science education, particularly the teaching and learning of a first programming language. Introductory "CS1" programming courses typically have very rates of both failing and of excellent grades (with fewer "mid-range" grades than usual). I think that we can make sense of this apparent paradox in terms of the mechanisms of learning and the unusually dense / interconnected nature of programming language constructs. I have been involved in two international studies of novice programmers, the Scaffolding and BRACE projects.
I teach and coordinate COMP160, the Department's introductory programming paper (Java), and COSC420 Neural Networks. In 2012 I was awarded an Ako Aotearoa Tertiary Teaching Excellence Award. I love teaching at all levels, and have been involved with many robotics projects for local high schools, including helping to run the annual RoboCup Junior Otago competition.
Selected Publications
- Robins, A. V. (2019) Novice programmers and introductory programming. In S. A. Fincher & A. V. Robins (Eds.) The Cambridge Handbook of Computing Education Research. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, 327 - 376
- Fincher, S. A. & Robins, A. V. (Eds) (2019) The Cambridge Handbook of Computing Education Research. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press. [details]
- Robins, A. Learning Edge Momentum. In Norbert Seel (Ed) Encyclopedia of the Sciences of Learning. Berlin: Springer. Volume 4, 1845 - 1848 (2011)
- Robins A. Learning edge momentum: A new account of outcomes in CS1. Computer Science Education, 20, 37 - 71 (2010)
- Abraham, C. & Robins A. Memory retention - the synaptic stability versus plasticity dilemma. Trends in Neuroscience, 28(2), 73 - 78 (2005).
- Robins, A. & McCallum, S. A robust method for distinguishing between learned and spurious attractors. Neural Networks, 17, 313 - 326 (2004).
- Robins, A., Rountree, J. & Rountree, N. Learning and teaching programming: A review and discussion. Computer Science Education, 13(2), 137 - 172 (2003).
For more publications, please check my Google Scholar profile