Darren Denenberg

“I love what I teach because it’s always exciting and interesting and dynamic. There’s always something new.”

Silicon Valley Native

Lecturer Darren Denenberg has been teaching technology for more than 22 years. “I’ve always had a fascination with it,” he says. “I grew up in Silicon Valley and attended Homestead High — the same high school as Wozniak and Jobs — so I’ve been surrounded by technology for a long time.” His first PC, brought home by his dad, ran on the CP/M operating system. “When I think about the state of the industry when I started versus now, the evolution has been remarkable,” he says. This is what drives his passion for technology. “I love what I teach because it’s always exciting and interesting and dynamic. There’s always something new.”

Long List of Courses

Denenberg teaches everything from databases and networking, to game design, to human-computer interaction, to capstone courses. “I have taught every possible class that you can teach,” he says, including ICS 10, a survey course for nonmajors. “If you drive a car, you don’t need to kick the tires and look under the hood, but you should have some knowledge of how it works.” It’s the same for PCs, mobile devices or online services. “Students get so much out of ICS 10,” he says. “It’s rewarding to see them convert numbers into binary or learn some block programming, because I know I’ve actually helped them understand how computing works.”

Teaching as a Performance Art

A course taught by Denenberg will never include a monotonous lecture. “I’ve played live in a band for years,” he admits, “so I understand the importance of having a strong stage presence.” Viewing teaching as a performance art, he brings a high level of energy and enthusiasm into the classroom, involving his students in the topic at hand. “When I get in class, it’s like I’m on stage, so I like to get the ‘crowd’ engaged.”

Education

Ph.D., Information Systems Management, University of Maryland, Baltimore County, 2001

M.S., Information Systems, University of Maryland, Baltimore County, 1998

B.S., Cognitive and Physiological Psychology, University of Maryland, Baltimore County, 1993