EC102: Data Structures as Cognitive Tools
Organizing Information the Way Minds Do
Lists, queues, stacks, treesβthe architecture of thought and software
π Overview
Humans organize information constantly. This course maps those habits to data structures developers use every day.
What You'll Learn:
- Why data structures exist beyond "performance"
- Picking the right structure by intuition
- How trees/graphs mirror human semantics
- Intro to tabular data and schema design
π― Key Outcomes
- Select structures that match real-world problems
- Explain your choices in cognitive terms
- Implement lists, stacks, queues, sets, dicts from scratch
- Model basic trees/graphs and tabular schemas
πΊοΈ Course Structure
Module 1: Linear Structures
Lists, arrays, stacks, queues; when each makes sense mentally.
Module 2: Associative Structures
Hash maps, sets, dictionaries as patternβlocation tools.
Module 3: Hierarchical Structures
Trees, tries, basic graphs; representing nested concepts.
Module 4: Tabular Thinking
Schemas, primary keys, normalization, CSV vs DB tradeoffs.
Module 5: Choosing Well
Decision frameworks for data modeling under pressure.
π Connections
π Getting Started
Difficulty: βββββ | Time: ~10 hours | Prereq: EC101