Dr.Abdallah Mohamed

"Education is the kindling of a flame,
              not the filling of a vessel." - Socrates

 

Menu

About me

Welcome to my page. My name is Abdallah Mohamed. I received my Ph.D. degree in Software Engineering with emphasis on Decision Support Systems for component-based software development from the University of Calgary in Canada. I am currently an instructor of Computer Science at the University of British Columbia - Okanagan Campus.

You can learn a bit more about me here: SoTL Spotlight and here: Teaching Awards Recipients

Teaching

Research

My research focuses on decision support systems (DSS). This involves studying and developing novel methodologies that integrates concepts and techniques, such as optimization methods and expert systems, to support informed decision-making. Such methodologies could be used when decisions are to be made in complex, uncertain, and/or dynamic environments.

My current interest is in using DSS to foster quality and creativity in higher education. I have been involved in several initiatives that investigate and propose techniques and technologies that can be used to improve the current state of practice of higher education learning, see here and here (must be on UBC VPN) for example. The ultimate aim is to improve the learning experiences of students.

Projects that would interest me include, for example, building tools that help students understand and analyze complex concepts (e.g. algorithms, data structures, etc.), or creating games or apps that imporove student motivation and success. There are many other ideas, some of which can be found HERE. If you have other ideas to improve the teaching/learning practices at UBC-O or other universities, I would be happy to discuss it with you and investigate possible ways to secure the resources required to implement this idea.

In the past, I have developed DSS techniques in the area of Software Engineering. For example, I have developed an approach that integrates expert systems along with optimization techniques for analyzing the impact of software component mismatches when integrated into different software systems. I have also developed a novel technique that can be used to generate diversified solution alternatives for optimization-based DSS systems.

Selected Projects

EduAI Lab
A research and development initiative focused on using AI to improve teaching and learning. It builds “course-aware” AI systems that connect generative AI models with actual course materials through retrieval-augmented generation (RAG), allowing students and instructors to get context-specific academic support rather than generic chatbot responses. The lab develops tools for applications like tutoring, question generation, grading assistance, and study support, all within a secure, UBCO-hosted environment designed to be accessible, pedagogically aligned, and integrated into university courses.
eduai.ok.ubc.ca , questionmaker.ok.ubc.ca, and aitutor.ok.ubc.ca via UBC VPN (still in dev phase)
LearnCoding with Parallel Coursework
A learning platform with personalizable content that can be customized to learner's needs. Learners can quickly switch the customization settings to compare-and-contrast content (e.g. syntax: Java vs Python, or discipline: Math vs Physics). More details here.
learncoding.ok.ubc.ca
NuTeach Learning
A learning platform, integrated in Canvas, that uses gamification and dopamine-rewards to stimulate learners’ intrinsic motivation.
nuteach.ok.ubc.ca via UBC VPN
Course Planner
a visual, web-based degree-planning platform that lets students drag & drop courses across planned year/terms, instantly see missing pre/corequisite, and receive soft off-term warnings with recency-weighted offering forecasts. Students can explore and save multiple plans using what-if analysis. Once a term is ready, courses can be exported to the Term Scheduler, where a visual section picker, seat-alert tracking, auto-optimised timetables, and side-by-side schedule comparison make building a conflict-free week effortless. The Course Insights pane adds deep research tools (prerequisite graphs, historical offering heatmaps, and multi-year grade-distribution charts) so students can make fully informed decisions before registering in Workday.
Future work includes including mathematical optimization-based recommendation features, such as recommending courses to take in the next term based on the student’s current progress and degree requirements, and recommending optimal course sections to take in the next term based on the student’s schedule preferences and course offerings.
courseplanner.ok.ubc.ca via UBC VPN
(in pilot phase - refer to official calendar for verifying your degree requirements and course prerequisites)
TA Management System (TAMS)
TAMS enables aims to streamline TA allocation process at UBCO. It allows departments to allocate TAs efficiently by guiding each role through its core tasks. Administrators define terms and discipline scopes, coordinators create sessions and manage assignments, instructors submit TA preferences and post‑term reviews, and students apply for positions, keep their schedules current, and handle post‑acceptance changes. The system enforces strong password security, offers secure account recovery, syncs course data from Workday, automatically checks schedule conflicts, and records all audit, security, and system events for easy oversight. Interactive help pop‑ups provide role‑specific guidance on workflows, permissions, and post‑accept processes.
Future work includes an optimization-based decision support system for allocating TAs to courses and labs using linear integer programming and a variety of soft and hard constraints.
tams.ok.ubc.ca via UBC VPN. (still experimental - not official process)
Data Playground
Web tool for data structures learning, using gamification and visual aids. Covers four data structures, and offers programming challenges and visual animations of the data structures as programs are executed..
dataplayground.ok.ubc.ca via UBC VPN
ULearn
Web tool combining machine learning and adaptive techniques to offer quizzes shaped by collaborative student-performance.
ulearn.ok.ubc.ca via UBC VPN
Generative AI in Education
Studies the use of generative AI to support learning. Current projects include studying current trends, using AI as a Tutor, using AI to genarate and answer questions.
Availability: some results are published, zsome will be available as online tools in 2025.
Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion
Studies that aim to identify and address equity, diversity, and inclusion issues in Computer Science at UBC-O and elsewhere.
Availability: published articles (available soon).

Useful Links

Contact

University of British Columbia (Okanagan)
Irving K. Barber Faculty of Science
1177 Research Road, SCI-2ooB
Kelowna, B.C., Canada, V1V 1V7
Phone: 250-807-8247
E-Mail:
Website: https://cmps-people.ok.ubc.ca/abdalmoh