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NAISS Intro Week February 2026

This is one of my reflections.

Recommendation

Feedback from day 1:

Continuously take feedback like this and the NAISS Intro Week will naturally get better and better over time :)

  • Give teachers the time they need for the exercises
  • Introduce HPC clusters properly

Recommendation 1: Give teachers the time they need for the exercises

I think the NAISS Intro Week should be a gentle and easy first week to work with our HPC clusters. I would say it is more important to adapt to our learners than fit in as much content as possible.

Some courses do not (dare to?) schedule enough time for exercises. Our learners will state this on the evaluations.

How do learners state this?
Quote Source
The more hands-on exercises the better Command Line 101
Would like more/more time Command Line 101
Extended time for type along or exercices Selecting software modules
As a beginner I maybe would have needed a little more time on the exercise. Selecting software modules
More practical exercises and more time doing the exercises Selecting software modules
would rather have more time for exercises Selecting software modules
Need more time to do the exercises Selecting software modules
Too short time to try things out Selecting software modules
more exercises would have been nice Running jobs on clusters
Would be nice to have some more hands-on activities Running jobs on clusters
Sometimes a little more time might have been needed for the exercises 'Command Line 201' evaluation
Most of lectures were rather fast, and not much time for exercises 'Command Line 201' evaluation
It was good. I didn't finish all the exercises on on the time given 'Command Line 201' evaluation
Generally good pace, sometimes a bit too fast (ex. 3min to try things yourself) 'Command Line 201' evaluation
The pace was ok if one have some experience, otherwise probably a bit fast 'Command Line 201' evaluation
The course materials are very good, though lectures were rather fast 'Command Line 201' evaluation
I would suggest more time for doing exercises 'Command Line 201' evaluation

However, some sessions ('Connect and File Transfer' and 'Working with sensitive data') do schedule the majority of time on exercises.

For 'Connect and File Transfer', however, the time was still too short.

Why is the time too short?
Quote Source
Awesome course, but it would be nice to have more time 'Connect and File Transfer' evaluation
I think I would have needed more time to figure everything out 'Connect and File Transfer' evaluation

When teachers are given the time they need to teach properly, which was on 'Working with sensitive data' this shows.

How does this show?
Quote Source
The last day had the biggest learning outcome 'Working with sensitive data' evaluation

I recommend to give teachers the time they need for the exercises.

In practice:

  • Make 'Connect' (of 'Connect and File Transfer') at least 2 hours
  • Make 'File Transfer' (of 'Connect and File Transfer' at least 2 hours

Recommendation 2: Introduce HPC clusters properly

Maybe it was only on the last day (Day 5, 'Working with sensitive data'), that there was enough time for exercises.

Here is an interesting evaluation quote:

but I didn't really understand what an HPC cluster until the last day

For a center that provides HPC clusters, this seems like a miss to me.

Other learners mentioned this earlier, such as the 'Connect and File Transfer' feedback:

I think it would have been better to start the day by explaining what an HPC cluster is, then practicing logging into the cluster, then having LINUX 101 and after that having the file transferring course.

Another learners indicated too he/she does not understand the concept, from the 'Connect and File Transfer' feedback:

There are different clusters (I think this is the name?)

I recommend to properly introduce HPC clusters.

In practice:

  • Schedule at least 1 hour for this
  • Make this part of 'Connect' (of 'Connect and File Transfer')

Appendix

Part of my 'Connect and File Transfer' reflection

Due to this I recommend:

  • 1 hour for introduction to HPC, including SUPR
  • 2 hours for the 'Connect' part
  • 3 hours for the 'File transfer' part

Having this course the full first day would help even the utmost beginner to have an easy first day on our HPC clusters. I think we should prefer this over rushing our new users.

Number of learners present

Data and scripts can be found at my teaching data.

Count

Learners registering, showing up and filling in an evaluation form

Course n_registrations n_showing_up n_evaluations Source
Connect and File Transfer 64 25 (41% show-up rate) 15 (60% fill-in rate) Course evaluation
Command line 201 64 19 (30% show-up rate) 13 (so far) (68% fill-on rate) Course evaluation
Working with sensitive data 43 9 (21% show-up rate) 8 (89% fill-in rate) Course evaluation

Learning outcomes achieved

Course Learning outcomes achieved Source
Connect and File Transfer Connect and File Transfer URL
Command Line 201 Command Line 201 URL
Working with sensitive data Working with sensitive data URL

Overview of my teaching

When Duration What Lesson plan Evaluation Reflection
2025-02-06 Full day Working with sensitive data Lesson plan Evaluation Reflection
2026-02-04 Full day Command Line 201 Lesson plan Evaluation Reflection
2026-02-02 Half day NAISS Connect and File Transfer course Lesson plan Evaluation Reflection