Computer Science and Engineering
Computational Thinking Lab

The Computational Thinking Lab has been discontinued. The last offering on campus was in Spring 2019

The Computational Thinking Lab (CTL) helps motivated students develop strong computational reasoning skills in a challenging but supportive environment. Students work in small groups of 2 to 4 students once a week for 2 hours each time. With guidance from experienced undergraduate peer leaders, the group collaboratively works exercises designed to help students understand and enjoy topics taught in CSE231 and more advanced CSE courses.

Students who are concurrently enrolled in CSE231 earn 1 credit for satisfactory completion of the CTL class. (Enrollment in CSE 231 is a co-requisite—CTL is open only to students who are enrolled in CSE 231 in the same semester.)

Students who take the CTL can expect to:

• Learn approaches for solving computational problems.


• Make lasting friendships.


• Increase the likelihood of performing well in your CSE courses.


• Have fun!

• "I would strongly recommend this course, you get a lot of help, helps improve your confidence about the differents topics that we learn, we practice it and we can ask if we don't understand something. And besides, it is so much fun, I swear it!"


• "Must get this to get a good base for CSE major."


• "The reiteration of learning something in lecture, performing it in lab, and then introducing it again in the CTL helps. I have never programmed before so repetition is key."


• "It is very helpful to students in CSE 231, and although it's two hours a week and late at night, I'm glad I am a part of it."


• "It's a great course to take. It helps with getting a better understanding about programming."


• "It is a great class for a beginner in programming."

Find the class information for the latest offering (Spring 2019) here

Enrollment in the CTL is by permission of the program coordinator based on applications received.
You should apply if

• You are enrolled in CSE 231 for FS2018 or SS2019.


• You are available to meet on Wednesday 5:30 - 7:20 pm or Thursday 5:30 - 7:20 pm in the same semester that you are taking CSE 231.


• You are willing to give your full attention to meetings.


• You are willing to volunteer ideas and answers in small-group problem-solving sessions.


• You are willing to ask questions in small-group problem-solving sessions about material you don't understand.


• You are respectful of differences in learning styles of others.


• You are willing to provide evaluative feedback about the labs.

To be considered for enrollment, submit an application. Initial enrollment decisions will be made in the first week of July, and then on a rolling basis until the lab is filled. Therefore, your application will receive full consideration if received by July 1. Engineering students will be given priority for available seats, starting with CSE majors, CPE majors, and others. Students outside of engineering will be admitted as space permits.

The Computational Thinking Lab will not be offered fall of 2019. If you are interested in taking it in spring of 2020, please fill the application.

The CTL program is modeled after the Wisconsin Emerging Scholars - Computer Science Program (WES-CS). It utilizes a collaborative learning approach, called peer-led team learning (PLTL), which has been shown to improve retention, boost grades, and increase students' enthusiasm for a subject. WES-CS was initially funded in part by the US National Science Foundation through the Information Technology Workforce program.