Computing Multimodal Repository

Introduction

The field of computing is a vast, information-dense, and quickly changing landscape of emerging technologies and innovations. As a first-year computing student at Georgia Tech in the computer science, computer engineering, and robotics fields, it can be hard to know where to start learning about the field when the volume of information is immense and constantly growing. This website hosts a selected multimodal repository of introductory content related to the fields of Natural Language Processing, Accessible Interfaces, Optimization, , and Computer Engineering. Our goal is to help spark interest or curiosity in these subjects, creating a useful resource and repository for computing.

Our group composes of computer science and engineering majors, with a range of different perspectives on an interesting introduction to a subtopic of computing. To implement our goal in a self-documenting format, we built our repository on a website using the web technologies and design patterns that we share about in the repository. Each page contains embedded visual elements, and an MLA-formatted works cited page inviting readers to dive in with multiple modes of connection to each topic.

Project Goals

The goal of the project is to compile together a comprehensive repository of information related to computer science, computer engineering, and robotics. To create a diverse repository, we decided to select topics with overlap in each field that allows us to offer an individualized perspective on the field. So, we chose to highlight Natural Language Processing, Accessible Interfaces, Optimization, , and Computer Engineering as our subtopics.

We strove to introduce variety in each entry to make the repository truly representative of several career fields within computing, serving our goal to help inspire and spark new interest in the topics we care passionately about. Our repository is built for those seeking to pursue a Computer Science, Computer Engineering, or robotics career, as it contains many insights concerning each career’s required knowledge, technical skills, or topical trends.

Repository Structure and Content

Befitting to our group’s composition of computer science and engineering majors, we structured the multimodal repository as a no-frills HTML-CSS-made website. The home page is where you are reading this written rationale right now, and each site tab links to one of our members’ six, personal entries. Each site also contains embedded visual elements like diagrams and video tutorials, “previous” and “next” buttons to transition from one page to the next, and an MLA-formatted works cited. Formatting our repository as a website demonstrates how the application of programming skills can streamline the presentation of information, as the site is easy to navigate and contains interactive components like buttons, jump links, and hyperlinks to optimize a user’s experience.

To display a variety of approaches to each subtopic, we categorized sources as peer-reviewed articles, platforms pertinent to the field, glossary terms, and social and cultural engagement related to the subtopic. It was important to highlight peer-reviewed articles because by selecting high-quality writings from experts in each field, those who are new to the subtopic can experience the forefront and excitement of scientific discovery in a topic. By delving into pertinent platforms in each field, we can help contextualize widely popular programming-related tools and processes that allow a view into what it is like to work with computing tools every day. Selecting and defining glossary terms help to demystify field-specific jargon. Finally, by highlighting social and cultural ways to engage within the discipline, we highlight how people are changing the field for the better with exciting ways to get involved.

By creating our repository as a website, we highlight many topics in computing as a self-documenting format. For example, we share about the importance of accessible interfaces while providing an example of an accessible interface by providing alternative text on the embedded images in the site for accessible technologies like screen-readers to read aloud. Our website also self-documents the open-source software development lifecycle as an open-source project hosted on GitHub, a platform and software development pattern we share about in the repository. Formatting our data in a website also helps us embed visual content such as diagrams, and video tutorials that are designed internet-first. This format also demonstrates how the application of programming skills can streamline the presentation of information, as the site is easy to navigate and contains interactive components like buttons, jump links, and hyperlinks to optimize a user’s experience. We include “previous” and “next” buttons to transition from one page to the next, and an MLA-formatted works cited at the bottom of each page with embedded links inviting readers to dive in with multiple modes of connection to each topic.

Accomplishments and Features

This repository integrates a number of digital-first features unique to the digital format, which allow us to better achieve our project goals of highlighting topics in computing in a comprehensive repository. One unique feature that sets the repository apart are jump links to the MLA works cited section on each subtopic page. For example, there are times when a citation such as (Byrne et al.) can be hyperlinked to "jump" directly to its entry on a Works Cited page, creating a more accessible environment for readers who want to dive deeper into a specific topic or citation quickly. We also integrate hyperlinks both as part of paragraphs to help direct readers to ourside resources, and as part of the MLA works cited to showcase digital-first resources. This digitization of the typically print-published MLA works cited format best supports learners who rely on digital content and organize their research digitally. Another unique feature is a "pill" interface design that differentiates different resources. For example, a peer-reviewed article would start with the Peer-reviewed article pill. This allows readers to scan the website quickly for the type of resource they want to investigate further. In our efforts to make navigation of the of the repository easier, we include "next", "previous", and navigation bar links on the tops and bottoms of pages to make it easier to go from page to page. For digital-first resources such as videos or papers we have elected to embed select resources into the site, allowing readers to directly interact with educational content without leaving the site in the context of the introductory reflections we have provided for each resource.

One exciting aspect of the site in its design as an open-source programming project is that the code is accessible to the world for free on GitHub. In common practice with other open-source software projects, the code is released under the MIT License, which states

"...Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy of this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"), to deal in the Software without restriction, including without limitation the rights to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell copies of the Software (emphasis added), and to permit persons to whom the Software is furnished to do so..."

This multimodal repository's governance is fully established to support further community enhancements, allowing it to be updated and maintained by the community, and learned from by other students and developers.

The combination of navigational, digital-first features, and open-source software design differentiates this repository in its usability and applicability to the wider computing community.

Future Growth and Development

This multimodal repository is designed to be a living document, and we hope to continue to expand and grow it in the future. We plan to keep the repository up-to-date by adding new resources, updating existing content, and incorporating feedback from readers. We also hope to create opportunities for user contributions and collaborations, allowing others to share their knowledge and expertise with the community. By working together, we can create a comprehensive and dynamic repository that serves as a valuable resource for students, researchers, and professionals in the field of computing. One potential area for expansion would be the addition of new subtopics or categories to further diversify the content and provide a more comprehensive overview of the field. One feature we would like to expand accross the repository and add more examples of is content such as the walkthroughs and tutorials in the Optimization section. To make the repostory more interactive, we would also like to add more interactive elements such as quizzes, coding challenges, and discussion forums to engage readers and encourage active learning. To promote a sense of community and collaboration, we could also add a section for user-generated content, where readers can submit their own resources, tutorials, and projects to share with others. Overall, we are excited about the future growth and development of this repository and look forward to seeing how it evolves over time.

Identified Gaps and Limitations

While our repository has a lot of breadth in pertinent areas of computer science and computer engineering, it is by no means comprehensive. We realize that there are plenty of areas like cybersecurity, theory, and robotics programming that we did not touch on or could expound on. Computer engineering, for example, has a wide spectrum of applications that doesn’t just tap into computer science, but can fall under pure electrical engineering. Moreover, some of our topics are very technical; our presentation sacrifices the mathematical and scientific underpinnings of machine learning, computer architecture, and other subjects to present them in a more user-friendly manner. Part of this is due to our own inexperience, seeing as we are just starting our tenure as students at Georgia Tech. Despite these gaps, the structure of our repository makes it easy for us to update it. As we dive further into our respective majors, we can continue to make this repository more comprehensive and wide-reaching.

Conclusion

Putting together this project has not only been a great step in advancing our understanding, but also in providing us a sense of direction as we pursue our major. We believe that as the fields of computer science and computer engineering continue to evolve and bring new innovations and breakthroughs, this repository can be a great resource for those who aspire to stay involved. As an open source project, we welcome contributions from all backgrounds in the field of computing. If you would like to contribute to this repository, please read our contributing guide on the GitHub repository.