Our programmers behind the lectern: Ondra, Kuba, and Dominik teach at the university
Most of us probably imagine a programmer as someone who spends entire days writing code in the quiet of their workspace. But what is it like when instead they find themselves in front of a classroom full of curious students? Our colleagues Ondra, Kuba, and Dominik have something to say not only about their everyday work life but also about what it is like to teach computer science.
When did you first encounter programming?
Dominik:“I started programming in high school, when I was about 16. That was when I first tried programming in Java. I liked that when I wrote some lines of code, I could see a real result from it. My first projects were more like classic school assignments, such as calculators in the console. Later, at the Faculty of Informatics at Masaryk University, I found an internship where I worked with Java and the Selenium testing framework.”
Ondra:“I started playing around with programming at about 13, but my first real hobby project came at 15. Back then, my friend and I created a game in Unity – a game system where you create your own games. We even won first and second place in regional competitions with it. I have been drawn to computers since I was little, so I gradually became the family IT support. In school, I hesitated between IT and law, but in the end, IT won because I simply enjoyed those projects.”
Kuba: “I first encountered programming in high school during computer science classes, where I worked with the C language before graduation. That laid the foundation for my further studies at FI MUNI. I really focused on development in 2020 in the course “Introduction to Development in C#/.NET.” At the end of it, I created my own project, which I had to defend and present. This was my first experience with a larger project.”
How did you get into teaching at university?
Dominik: “In my fourth semester, I thought that teaching others would really interest me,” he recalls the time when he became a teaching assistant due to his passion for C# – a universal programming language. “I wrote to ask if I could teach something, and suddenly I had my own seminar group. I was thrown straight into the deep end,” he laughs.
Ondra adds a slightly different story: “Our faculty makes extensive use of the concept of student teaching assistants. When I had programming in C# in my first year, after a year I received an email saying they were looking for assistants. I tried it out, and I have been teaching for six years now. I even taught all the C# courses at the faculty once.”
Kuba, who has been teaching for the third year, got into teaching thanks to his supervisor: “He was a great lecturer, and I wanted to try it too. He gave me the opportunity, and so I started teaching.”
Did you know that the first Faculty of Computer Science in the Czech Republic was established at Masaryk University in Brno? In 1994, Masaryk University became a pioneer in the field of independent study of computer science, which had previously only been conducted within other disciplines such as mathematics or electrical engineering.
How do you perceive the difference between teaching students and working on real projects?
Teaching at the university and working on real projects differ in many ways.
Kuba describes how his role changes depending on the environment: “When working on contracts, I mostly work alone, so I only keep track of what I am doing. However, at school, I am the source of all information for the students and I must ensure they understand what I am trying to explain.”
Dominik sees teaching as an opportunity to improve the teaching itself, as well as the approach to younger colleagues: “When I look at the difference between teaching and working, I often find myself in the role of a teacher at work – explaining things to people I know and collaborate with. I talk about what I have been working on for a long time. At school, it’s different; I have to consider that the students do not have as much experience yet, so it is necessary to work with terminology as well.”
Ondra emphasizes the difference between academic and practical subjects: “It really depends on what you are teaching. With C#, it’s great that the materials we use are well-prepared for practice – largely thanks to Dominik.”
Computer mouse: Today it is a common part of our lives, but the first computer mouse was made of wood and had only one button. It was invented in 1964 by Douglas Engelbart.
How do you pass practical skills to students?
Kuba explains how he uses real-life examples in teaching: “When I encounter a mistake at work, I immediately know how to explain it to the students and what to do to avoid it.”
Dominik adds: “Every week, students build on what they did before. I always show them a fully functional version from the previous lesson so they don’t get lost.”
Ondra sees the advantage in school projects providing more freedom than real-world work: “In school, you can make a mistake and try new things, which often isn’t possible in practice. We also simulate clients with changing requirements so that students experience what it’s like when a client suddenly wants something completely different.”
What drives you to keep teaching?
Teaching students is not just about passing on knowledge – each of the guys takes away a lot from it themselves. Kuba is mainly motivated by working with students: “I see how they improve, and I learn as well. When I teach, I really have to understand it myself.”
Dominik adds: “The most motivating for me are students who have a genuine interest. At PUX, we already have two colleagues who were my students. That is a huge motivation for me.”
Ondra admits that teaching was initially a way to unwind from school, but now he sees its benefits differently: “I have to understand the material to explain it simply. And that’s what I enjoy – that I can inspire others with that enthusiasm.”
Is IT just for men? Not at all. We have several female developers in our company. After all, the first programmer in the world was a woman – Ada Lovelace. In the 19th century, computers as we know them today did not even exist. Ada Lovelace designed an algorithm for the mechanical calculating machine invented by Charles Babbage. This algorithm is considered the first computer program ever.
Do you have a funny story from your teaching experience?
„Yes, we have one shared story that we won't forget anytime soon. Adam, who now works with us at PUX, was once Dominik's student. During one of his classes, the students were assigned a task – to present their applications, and Adam took on the role of a door-to-door salesman. He played it so convincingly that Dominik ended up on the floor laughing.“
Kuba adds with a smile: „Adam completely took over the whole class, it was perfect!“
We are glad that Adam ultimately chose not to pursue an acting career but stayed in IT – and now we have him in our company. And what about you? Will you kick off your project with us? Let's do it together!
