Books & Research

Blender 5.2 LTS: from Zero to Render is a comprehensive, beginner-to-professional textbook for the free, open-source industry-standard 3D suite. Written by a Professor of Computer Science, this book guides you through twenty structured chapters — from your very first viewport navigation to assembling a complete animation showreel ready for a portfolio or demo reel.

How Every Chapter Works

Each chapter follows the same reliable four-part structure: Lecture Notes that explain the concept before you open Blender, a Guided Walkthrough with numbered steps, an independent Studio Project, and a Mastery Checkpoint. No prior 3D experience required.

What's Covered

• Learn → Follow → Build → Verify — understand the concept, follow the steps, complete the project
• Twelve Animation Principles taught before any software instruction — applicable to every animation tool
• Blender 5.2 LTS — Long-Term Support release, stable through July 2028. Free and open-source
• Complete coverage — modeling, sculpting, materials, lighting, Cycles rendering, keyframe animation, particle systems, fire simulation, and compositing
• 20 Studio Projects — one per chapter, building progressively toward a final showreel
• Appendix: Complete Keyboard Shortcut Reference covering all contexts from Object Mode through the Video Sequence Editor

Who This Book Is For

Suitable for introductory university courses in 3D modeling, computer animation, game design, and digital media. Designed for complete beginners — no prior knowledge of Blender, 3D modeling, or animation required. Also appropriate for self-taught learners who want a structured, principle-first approach rather than fragmented tutorials.

About the Author

Dr. Ayman Alzaid holds a PhD spanning Computer Science, Curriculum and Instruction, and Learning Design and Technology. His academic preparation includes an M.S. and B.S. in Computer Science. He is a faculty partner of CAHSI and a contributor to the Math Snacks project.

Computational Thinking and Software Design with Java is a premium academic textbook built for anyone who wants to understand code, not just write it. Written by a Professor of Computer Science, this book uses a discovery-based, audit-driven curriculum developed and refined through university classroom practice, designed equally for AP Computer Science A students and university CS1 courses.

How Every Chapter Works

Discovery Challenge
A hands-on problem that surfaces the core concept before any Java syntax appears. You solve the logic first so the code becomes the natural expression of something you already understand.

Logical Blueprint
A structured mapping from the concept to the Java construct. No syntax until the reasoning is clear.

Syntax Bridge
The Java implementation, explained line by line against the blueprint you already built. Every new keyword earns its place.

What Makes This Book Different

• 14 chapters from computational thinking through object-oriented system design, each built around the Discovery–Blueprint–Syntax framework
• The Professional Loop: a structured approach to AI-augmented programming in which the AI acts as Draftsman, the student acts as Architect, and the compiler acts as Workshop
• 5 Architectural AI Audit exercises where students receive AI-generated Java code and must find the design flaw, explain why it matters, and refactor it correctly
• AP Computer Science A aligned throughout, with all AP Quick Reference String methods, ArrayList, and 2D arrays covered
• A running domain model — a Student/Roster system — built incrementally from Chapter 7 through Chapter 14
• Java conventions enforced from Chapter 1: camelCase, constants in SCREAMING_SNAKE_CASE, 4-space indentation, and @Override on every overriding method
• Appendix A — Java Quick Reference; Appendix B — Runtime Error Guide; Appendix C — AI-Augmented, AI-Resilient Pedagogy framework
• Glossary of 56 terms, each tied to its chapter

The AI-Augmented, AI-Resilient Framework

This book takes a direct position on AI tools in the CS classroom: the question is not whether students will use them, but whether they will use them well. The Architectural AI Audit exercises are structured so that passing them requires genuine design reasoning that AI tools cannot produce reliably.

About the Author

Dr. Ayman Alzaid holds a PhD spanning Computer Science, Curriculum and Instruction, and Learning Design and Technology. His academic preparation includes an M.S. and B.S. in Computer Science. His research focuses on artificial intelligence, human-computer interaction, and CS curriculum design. He is a faculty partner of CAHSI and a contributor to the Math Snacks project.