TASNOP: A tool for teaching algorithms to solve network optimization problems

This work presents the TASNOP—Teaching Algorithms for Solving Network Optimization Problems, a tool for teaching concepts and operation of some algorithms to solve Shortest Path, Maximum Flow, and Traveling Salesman problems, which are widely known and studied in graduate and undergraduate courses such as Industrial Engineering, Computer Science, Information Systems, and Logistics. Experiments carried out with undergraduate computer science students allowed to verify that the group who used TASNOP obtained better performance in the resolution of the proposed exercise, corroborating the idea that it contributed to improve the students’ understanding about the addressed content. In addition, a questionnaire answered by the same group of students evidenced the potential of TASNOP as a teaching support tool.