Sehrish Basir Nizamani

Research project

DBWorkout

SQL practice that pushes back.

Status
Active
Since
2024
Themes
Educational technology, AI in computing education

Overview

SQL is among the most widely used skills in computing and one of the hardest to teach well, because reading about queries is not the same as writing them. DBWorkout gives students a browser-based sandbox the moment class begins: they write and run queries, get immediate targeted feedback, and see a live leaderboard that keeps the room engaged.

For instructors, the platform manages course instances and practice sessions, holds authored questions privately until they are published in class, supports reusable question banks, and offers an analytics view of participation, common errors, and per-question completion. An instructor-controlled toggle decides whether AI hints are available.

Research questions

  • Does immediate, low-stakes practice help students learn SQL formatively?
  • Where do students struggle, and can check-level visualization reveal struggle patterns that final scores hide?
  • How should AI hints be offered so they support learning rather than replace it?

Methods

  • A platform built and refined with student contributors in live classroom use
  • Session analytics on participation, error patterns, and per-question completion
  • Check-level visualization of student attempts
  1. 2026
    WorkshopAccepted

    When more attempts makes things worse: Check-level visualization for uncovering hidden struggle patterns in SQL learning

    Sehrish Basir Nizamani, Deepika Devaraj (student co-author), and Tien Nguyen (student co-author)

    FutureHCI ’26: Future of Human–Computer Interaction Workshop, Virginia Tech

  2. 2026
    ConferenceAccepted

    WIP: DBWorkout: A gamified SQL practice platform to support formative learning in database courses

    Sehrish Basir Nizamani, Deepika Devaraj (student co-author), Tien Nguyen (student co-author), Khyati Goyal (student co-author), Saad Nizamani, Sally Hamouda, and Jaren Goldberg (student co-author)

    IEEE Frontiers in Education (FIE 2026), Work-in-Progress track

    arXiv for WIP: DBWorkout: A gamified SQL practice platform to support formative learning in database courses

* Student co-author.

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