Teaching

Teaching Philosophy

My teaching philosophy is built on two core observations: students become invested when topics are relatable and when they are challenged with a critical perspective.

Relatability & Engagement

In undergraduate courses, students engage deeply when they experience relatable stories or narratives. I invest time in getting to know my students to provide real-life examples that bridge the gap between abstract theory and personal intuition.

Critical Thinking (The Why, What, & How)

For upper-level courses, I shift focus toward system design choices. We explore the nuanced trade-offs of engineering by addressing three core questions:

  • Why are certain design choices made in a system?
  • What design choices are the possible alternatives?
  • How are trade-offs between those alternatives determined?

This approach nurtures a research-oriented mindset, encouraging students to evaluate hidden factors and questioning assumptions—skills that serve them well beyond their graduate life.

Student Comments

A selection of comments from student evaluations at the University of South Florida.

"He is a fantastic teacher who really goes in depth with examples and scenarios, making you feel like he wants us to actually learn and understand, rather than just memorize."
"Dr. Ami is one of the best professors I had in the CS department at USF. He made complicated topics understandable with analogies and good explanations."
"One of the best professors I have had. His passionate teaching style catches the attention even of those who would not naturally be interested."
"Dr Ami is one of the best teachers I had in my academic journey at USF. His teaching style, grading style, the amount of work he puts in homework feedback makes me as a student feel like I’m back to school with an actual teacher + guardian."
"I deeply respected your determination to be available for assistance and willingness to help when a student needed it."
"Honestly, this openness to any question (and his open-minded discussion) made this class exceptional. I believe it would help other students if he continues to do that."
"One of the best instructors I had so far at USF. Made the course interesting and easy to learn. I enjoy the topics brought from outside the class about real-world events."
"Professor Amit really cares about his students and helps them succeed. Lectures are comprehensive and made easy to understand."
"I found the professor's approach to difficult material helpful and considerate of students who had concerns or questions about the content. He always verified students were following at the pace he was teaching. He also dove into relevant/recent real world examples and discussed some related material to the topics during lectures which helped us to gain a better understanding of the domain, stay interested in discussions and learn new things."

Current Courses

Past Courses

  • Secure Coding
    Fall 2025 | USF
  • Programming for Data Science
    Fall 2023 | William & Mary
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