Laura L. Pauley
Papers
2
Total Citations
27
H-Index
2
About
Laura L. Pauley is an engineering educator whose research focuses on computer science pedagogy and programming instruction for engineering students. Her most recognized contributions center on the development and evaluation of alternative approaches to introductory programming education, particularly advocating for MATLAB as a more accessible and discipline-relevant substitute for the traditionally used C++ language in engineering curricula. Pauley's work emerged from a sustained, four-year pilot project designed to help academic departments evaluate the practical transition from C++ to MATLAB in foundational programming courses. Her 2008 paper on teaching introductory programming using MATLAB garnered 13 citations, while a 2020 follow-up expanding the framework to incorporate some exposure to C earned 14 citations — reflecting continued and growing interest in her pedagogical approach across the engineering education community. What makes Pauley's contributions particularly valuable is their applied, practitioner-oriented nature: her research offers concrete, replicable frameworks that curriculum designers and faculty can directly implement. For students and researchers in engineering education, her work represents a thoughtful challenge to longstanding instructional conventions, making a compelling case that programming tools should align more closely with the analytical needs of engineering disciplines.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
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