Assistant Professor
Email: snmackay@ou.edu
Phone:
Office: Devon Energy Hall Room 243
Website: snmackay.github.io
Education
Ph.D., Engineering Education
The University at Buffalo
B.S., Computer Science
The University at Buffalo
Research Focus
Experience and Awards
Dr. Sean Mackay is an Assistant Professor in the Computer Science department at the Gallogly College of Engineering at the University of Oklahoma. Prior to joining OU, he worked at the University at Buffalo as both an instructor/lecturer as well as a graduate research assistant. Dr. Mackay completed his PhD during this time, working with Dr. Adrienne Decker in the Department of Engineering Education, while teaching for the Department of Computer Science and Engineering. His research focus during this time was on understanding the difficulties that students face during their later years of computer science in terms of the content knowledge they are tasked with learning, and how these learning experiences effects their interest in persisting in computing.
Dr. Mackay’s main goals are to provide students with the best possible learning experience possible, through cultivating a positive learning environment, being responsive to students’ needs, and promoting student-centered course designs. His research interests are now focused on developing tools to support students’ learning.
S. Mackay, K. Eiselt, A. Decker. 2024. “Two Sides of the Same Coin: Differing Approaches to Generative AI in Two Computer Science Classrooms,” 2024 IEEE Frontiers in Education Conference (FIE), Washington DC, USA, 2024, https://doi.org/10.1109/fie61694.2024.10893388
S. Mackay, B. M. McSkimming, A. Decker. “Interview Iterations and Improvements for Identifying Intermediate Computer Science Threshold Concepts,” 2024 IEEE Frontiers in Education Conference (FIE), Washington DC, USA, 2024, https://doi.org/10.1109/fie61694.2024.10893570
K. Lejmbach, S. Mackay. “Using Chat-GPT to Create Multiple Choice CS Exams,” 2024 IEEE Frontiers in Education Conference (FIE), Washington DC, USA, 2024, https://doi.org/10.1109/fie61694.2024.10893096
B. M. McSkimming, S. Mackay and A. Decker. 2023. "Identification of Threshold Concepts for Intermediate Computer Science Students," 2023 IEEE Frontiers in Education Conference (FIE), College Station, TX, USA, 2023, pp. 1-5, doi: 10.1109/FIE58773.2023.10343211.
S. Mackay and J. Swenson. 2022. Investigating the Connection Between Sense of Belonging and Academic Dishonesty. In Proceedings of the IEEE Frontiers in Education Conference (FIE), Uppsala, Sweden, 2022, pp. 1-5, doi: 10.1109/FIE56618.2022.9962730
B.M. McSkimming, S. Mackay, and A. Decker. 2021. Investigating the usage of Likert-style items within Computer Science Education Research Instruments. In proceedings of the 2021 Frontiers in Education Conference, October 2021, Lincoln, NE, USA, 2021, pp. 1-8, doi: 10.1109/FIE49875.2021.9637198.
S. Mackay and A. Decker. 2020. Updating our Understanding of the Impact of Pre-College Computing Experiences on University Students. In proceedings of the 2020 IEEE Frontiers in Education Conference (FIE), 2020, pp. 1-5, doi: 10.1109/FIE44824.2020.9274143
