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Henry H. Leitner, Ph.d

PROFESSIONAL OVERVIEW

As Associate Dean for IT and Chief Innovation Officer for the Division of Continuing Education (DCE) at Harvard University, I provide vision and leadership in the development and implementation of technology-based initiatives, especially online teaching and learning. 

I have oversight responsibility for dozens of staff, a cloud-based open-source system (Opencast) that captures, processes and distributes lectures to students around the world, a first-rate computing lab, as well as a growing collection of Harvard Extension School and Summer School technology courses that collectively enroll thousands of students annually.  

I created the Master’s of Liberal Arts in Information Technology degree (the ALM in IT) at the Harvard Extension School, a graduate program of study in which adult learners are exposed to modern software engineering methodologies, theoretical and formal areas of computer science, advanced topics such as cryptography and nanoscale science, digital media arts and sciences, as well as the latest trends in IT management, data science, and enterprise computing. There are currently more than 600 degree candidates matriculated toward the degree.

Since 1986 I have been a Senior Lecturer on Computer Science at Harvard’s School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, where I have taught a number of large introductory courses.  I have had more than 10,000 students over the years.  

I served as Acting Dean of DCE for 3 months, June-September, 2019.  I later serving as Interim Dean of DCE from in January, 2020 until mid-July of that year.  The virtual Harvard Extension School commencement I hosted is here.

RECENT COURSE

AT HARVARD EXTENSION

2020-21

Computer Science E-10a: Introduction to Computer Science Using Java, part 1

Computer Science E-10b: Introduction to Computer Science Using Java, part 2

Computer Science E-7:  Introduction to Computer Science Using Python


AT HARVARD COLLEGE

Spring, 2021

Computer Science 1: Great Ideas in Computer Science


AT HARVARD SUMMER SCHOOL

June-August, 2020 and 2021

Computer Science S-1: Great Ideas in Computer Science Using Python (co-taught with Mr. Dimitri Kountourogianni)

WITH SEAS AND HARVARD BUSINESS SCHOOL

October, 2018 — 


WITH SEAS AND HARVARD BUSINESS SCHOOL

Harvard Business Analytics Program (HBAP)

As Senior Lecturer on Computer Science at Harvard’s School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS), I have taught literally thousands of students in dozens of courses over the years. 

  • At Harvard Extension, I have taught specialized courses on Artificial Intelligence, Systems Programming and Data Structures, in addition to introductory courses.
  • At Harvard College, I have taught or co-taught CS-50, AM-110, CS-51 and CS-1
  • At Harvard Summer School, I taught their very first computer science course in 1978, and have continued to teach there every summer since that time.

FORMER STUDENTS

A number of my former students (and teaching assistants) have had distinguished careers. Here’s a small sample:

RECENT PRESENTATIONS

  • Upcoming presentation at UPCEA Annual Conference, “Making Connections: Designing a Portable, Blended Classroom for the New Normal.”  With colleagues Christian Wisecarver and Christian Franco. April 7-9, 2021.
  • Online presentation at UPCEA 2020 New England Region Conference, “New Models for Lifelong Learning in the Global Digital Economy: the 60 Year Curriculum.”  With Prof. Chris Dede (Harvard University GSE), Dr. John Richards (Harvard University GSE), and Dean Jason Wingard (Columbia University). October 21, 2020.
  • Online presentation at the 2020 UPCEA Annual Conference, “The 60-Year Curriculum: Lifelong Learning in the Digital Economy.”  With Prof. Chris Dede (Harvard University GSE) and Dr. John Richards (Harvard University GSE). March 19, 2020.Presentation at the 12th annual International Conference of Education, Research and Innovation (ICERI 2019), “Implementing the 60 Year Curriculum (60YC) at Harvard University’s Division of Continuing Education (DCE).” Seville, Spain, November 11-13, 2019.
  • Presentation at the 10th annual International Conference of Education, Research and Innovation (ICERI 2017), “The Future of Technology-Supported Education: Improving Efficiency and Effectiveness Through Learning Engineering.” Seville, Spain, November 16-18, 2017.
  • Presentation at the Harvard IT Summit, “Opencast Matterhorn in the Cloud: Live and On-Demand from the DCE Classroom.” With Jody Fanto as co-presenter. Cambridge, MA, June 2, 2016
  • Invited panelist at the SXSW Interactive conference, “Designing a Successful Distance Education Program.” Austin, Texas, March 10, 2012. 
  • Invited keynote talk on “Innovation in Online Education,” Harvard and China Research Symposium, Harvard Shanghai Center, China, March 19, 2010
  • Invited keynote talk on “Innovation in Distance Learning at Harvard,”American Society of Engineering Education conference, Boston, MA, March 21, 2009. 
  • Invited panelist at ACM’s SIGCSE conference, “Great Ideas in Computer Science Using Scratch,” Chattanooga, TN, March 5, 2009.
  • Invited talk on “Recent Developments in Distance Education,” Universidad Latina, San Jose, Costa Rica, March 26, 2008.
  • Invited talk on “Learning to Think Analytically and Algorithmically Through Programming in Virtual Environments,” Bahçeşehir Üniversitesi, Instanbul, Turkey, June 10, 2007.