An experience in collaborative learning: observations of a software engineering course

Abstract

I describe my experiences in teaching an advanced graduate-level software engineering course using a collaborative approach. Software Engineering II (SEII) is the second of two graduate software engineering courses taught at Rensselaer at Hartford, a branch of the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute that provides professional master's degrees in computer science. During the past three offerings of SEII, I have attempted to create a collaborative learning environment which would support both peer-based learning and life-long learning through the employment of such techniques as cooperative construction of mental models, brainstorming and collaboration by example. This paper provides details on the techniques that were used in SEII, describes my observations on the constraints and successes of my approach, and outlines some thoughts for future directions for SEII.