Source: https://www.otago.ac.nz/computer-science/people/otago675710.html
Timestamp: 2019-04-19 01:05:12+00:00

Document:
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.
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.
Robins, A. (2017). Learning and teaching programming. In P. A. Laplante (Ed.), Encyclopedia of computer science and technology (Vol. 2). (2nd ed.) (pp. 551-561). Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press. [Encyclopaedia/Dictionary Entry].
Robins, A. V. (1998). Transfer in cognition. In S. Thrun & L. Pratt (Eds.), Learning to Learn. (pp. 45-67). Dordrecht, Germany: Kluwer Academic Publishers.
Lamb, P., Bartlett, R., Robins, A., & Kennedy, G. (2008). Self-organizing maps as a tool to analyze movement variability. International Journal of Computer Science in Sport, 7(1), 28-39.
Walles, H., Knott, A., & Robins, A. (2008). A model of cardinality blindness in inferotemporal cortex. Biological Cybernetics, 98(5), 427-437.
Tenenberg, J., Fincher, S., Blaha, K., Bouvier, D., Chen, T.-Y., Chinn, D., … Robins, A., … VanDeGrift, T. (2005). Students designing software: A multi-national, multi-institutional study. Informatics in Education, 4(1), 143-162.
Abraham, W. C., & Robins, A. (2005). Memory retention: The synaptic stability versus plasticity dilemma. Trends in Neurosciences, 28(2), 73-78.
Robins, A. (2004). Sequential learning in neural networks: A review and a discussion of pseudorehearsal based methods. Intelligent Data Analysis, 8(3), 301-322.
Rountree, N., Rountree, J., Robins, A., & Hannah, R. (2004). Interacting factors that predict success and failure in a CS1 course [Reviewed paper]. Inroads: The SIGCSE Bulletin, 36(4), 101-104.
Robins, A. V., & McCallum, S. J. R. (2004). A robust method for distinguishing between learned and spurious attractors. Neural Networks, 17, 313-326.
Robins, A. V., Rountree, J., & Rountree, N. (2003). Learning and teaching programming: A review and discussion. Computer Science Education, 13(2), 137-172.
Rountree, N., Rountree, J., & Robins, A. V. (2002). Predictors of success and failure in a CS1 course. Inroads: The SIGCSE Bulletin, 34(4), 121-124.
Robins, A. V., & McCallum, S. J. R. J. R. (1999). The consolidation of learning during sleep: Comparing the pseudorehearsal and unlearning accounts. Neural Networks, 12, 1191-1206.
Frean, M. R., & Robins, A. V. (1999). Catastrophic forgetting in simple networks: An analysis of the pseudorehearsal solution. Network, 10, 227-236.
McCallum, S. J. R. J. R., & Robins, A. V. (1999). Mechanisms for memory consolidation. New Zealand Journal of Computing, 7, 13-20.
Robins, A. V., & McCallum, S. J. (1998). Catastrophic forgetting and the pseudorehearsal solution in Hopfield type networks. Connection Science, 10, 121-135.
Robins, A. V., & Frean, M. R. (1998). Local learning algorithms for sequential tasks in neural networks. Advanced Computational Intelligence, 2, 221-227.
Frean, M. R., & Robins, A. V. (1998). Catastrophic forgetting and "pseudorehearsal" in linear networks. Australian Journal of Intelligent Information Processing Systems, 5, 44-49.
Robins, A. V. (1996). Transfer in cognition. Connection Science, 8, 161-179.
Robins, A. V. (1996). Consolidation in neural networks and in the sleeping brain. Connection Science, 8, 235-251.

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