Graduate Software Engineering Research Articles

Exploring Serious Play in the Engineering Classroom to Support the "Joyification" of Education and Learning

Serious play has the potential to enable creative and advanced learning experiences while incorporating enjoyable/fun learning activities. This can be highly relevant in engineering education, where the gravity and responsibility associated with the profession can be daunting for both students and educators. This study explores the integration of serious play in the software engineering classroom. The exploration aimed to transform classroom dynamics and find more effective ways to connect students with the gravity of the engineering discipline while enhancing student satisfaction and understanding during the learning process and adding fun elements. Two distinct serious play activities were designed and evaluated. The first was inspired by Stanford's D.School's Gift Giving Project and the Lego Serious Play activity, while the second drew inspiration from popular board games like Monopoly and Trivial Pursuit. Both serious play activities were evaluated in early-year undergraduate and graduate software engineering classrooms, where qualitative feedback was gathered to measure student perception toward the joyification of their education and learning. This paper describes the designed serious play activities, discusses student evaluation results, and discusses opportunities for continual improvement.

Looking To Start The Entrepreneurial Journey: Finding The Right Partners

As sundown is reaching August 10th, 2020, Nasir Ali Joyia, a young software engineering graduate from GIFT University, must decide to offer his friends to start a business venture. Nasir was weighing the options of the names he would like to discuss and offer a partnership for his new technology venture. Nasir greatly succeeded in his freelancing while working on Upwork and Fiverr websites after completing more than 100 projects and receiving higher client recommendations. Nasir thinks it is the right time to move to the next stage of his entrepreneurial journey. 
 
 “My passion for success guides me to work hard for my own project working for clients, which I received from Upwork and Fiverr. I am willing to include my other fellow in my entrepreneurial journey. However, I am very clear that business development is a step-by-step process like embarking on an expedition.”
 
 For Nasir, envisioning the business venture development is exciting, and Nasir was planning to meet with the prospective partners next Monday. Nasir thinks that he has a business plan that works for all partners. However, Nasir must be careful and consider the prospective partners before making the final offer and expect total loyalty from the prospective partners.

Active Learning Strategies and Blended Learning Approach for Teaching Under Graduate Software Engineering Course

Software Engineering is a core theory course offered in Undergraduate Engineering programmes. It is one of the challenging courses for the teaching faculty. The course includes various systematic approaches, and methods that can be employed for designing, developing, testing and maintaining quality software applications. The course also focuses on the latest tools and technologies that are being practiced in the industry. Effective content delivery methods leveraging active learning strategies for the classical topics have been well researched and established. However, improvement in content delivery plan and execution is required for relatively new and evolving topics like DevOps and version controlling. This paper presents an experimental study of application of the various active learning techniques such as discussion forums, tech talks followed by quiz for such topics. Impact of the application of the improved content delivery plan on the course outcomes attainment by the learners has also been observed and presented. The enhanced approach has proved to improve student learning outcomes, which are measured and presented using a standard set of tools and metrics. This paper uses the logistic regression model for the study of impact of blended learning approach on student learning outcomwhich produes ces 60% accuracy.

Active Learning Strategies and Blended Learning Approach for Teaching Under Graduate Software Engineering Course

Abstract: Software Engineering is a core theory course offered in Undergraduate Engineering programmes. It is one of the challenging courses for the teaching faculty. The course includes various systematic approaches, and methods that can be employed for designing, developing, testing and maintaining quality software applications. The course also focuses on the latest tools and technologies that are being practiced in the industry. Effective content delivery methods leveraging active learning strategies for the classical topics have been well researched and established. However, improvement in content delivery plan and execution is required for relatively new and evolving topics like DevOps and version controlling. This paper presents an experimental study of application of the various active learning techniques such as discussion forums, tech talks followed by quiz for such topics. Impact of the application of the improved content delivery plan on the course outcomes attainment by the learners has also been observed and presented. The enhanced approach has proved to improve student learning outcomes, which are measured and presented using a Abirami A.M , Pudumalar S ThiruchadaiPandeeswari 1 2, S 3 Department of Information Technology, Thiagarajar College of Engineering , Madurai, Tamil Nadu 1 abiramiam@tce.edu 2 spmit@tce.edu 3 eshwarimsp@tce.edu standard set of tools and metrics. This paper uses the logistic regression model for the study of impact of blended learning approach on student learning outcomes which produces 60% accuracy. Keywords: DevOps, Software Maintenance, Version Controlling, Software Engineering, Course Outcome Attainment, Active Learning Strategies

Supporting the teaching of design thinking techniques for requirements elicitation through a recommendation tool

The development of systems with different features becomes increasingly challenging, given the actual context, implying on the search for new approaches for requirements elicitation. One of these approaches is design thinking (DT), a process of encouraging innovation used by designers, which presents itself as fundamental in the success of new products. This scenario motivates the importance of knowing DT concepts and their techniques, which can support requirements elicitation. In this context, the authors present DTA4RE (DT assistant for requirements elicitation), a tool that suggests DT techniques for requirements elicitation, which can be used by both students and professionals who would like to adopt DT in their projects. The DTA4RE is composed of a set of 27 techniques that could be suggested to the user through a recommendation questionnaire as well as an open repository with material to support the application of these techniques. Results from the authors’ two empirical studies with software engineering undergraduate and graduate students and industry professionals indicate that DTA4RE has helped in the selection of and in the learning of DT techniques when considering real problems. Most participants considered the questions from the recommendation questionnaire easy to answer, and the techniques suggested by the tool useful.

Secondary studies in the academic context: A systematic mapping and survey

Context:Several researchers have reported their experiences in applying secondary studies (Systematic Literature Reviews — SLRs and Systematic Mappings — SMs) in Software Engineering (SE). However, there is still a lack of studies discussing the value of performing secondary studies in an academic context. Goal:The main goal of this study is to provide an overview on the use of secondary studies in an academic context. Method:Two empirical research methods were used. Initially, we conducted a SM to identify the available and relevant studies on the use of secondary studies as a research methodology for conducting SE research projects. Secondly, a survey was performed with 64 SE researchers to identify their perception related to the value of performing secondary studies to support their research projects. Results:Our results show benefits of using secondary studies in the academic context, such as providing an overview of the literature as well as identifying relevant research literature on a research area enabling to find reasons to explain why a research project should be approved for a grant and/or supporting decisions made in a research project. Difficulties faced by SE graduate students with secondary studies are that they tend to be conducted by a team and it demands more effort than a traditional review. Conclusions:Secondary studies are valuable to graduate students. They should consider conducting a secondary study for their research project due to the benefits and contributions provided to develop the overall project. However, the advice of an experienced supervisor is essential to avoid bias. In addition, the acquisition of skills can increase student’s motivation to pursue their research projects and prepare them for both academic or industrial careers.

Aligning software engineering education with industrial needs: A meta-analysis

ContextAccording to various reports, many software engineering (SE) graduates often face difficulties when beginning their careers, which is mainly due to misalignment of the skills learned in university education with what is needed in the software industry. ObjectiveOur objective is to perform a meta-analysis to aggregate the results of the studies published in this area to provide a consolidated view on how to align SE education with industry needs, to identify the most important skills and also existing knowledge gaps. MethodTo synthesize the body of knowledge, we performed a systematic literature review (SLR), in which we systematically selected a pool of 35 studies and then conducted a meta-analysis using data extracted from those studies. ResultsVia a meta-analysis and using data from 13 countries and over 4,000 data points, highlights of the SLR include: (1) software requirements, design, and testing are the most important skills; and (2) the greatest knowledge gaps are in configuration management, SE models and methods, SE process, design (and architecture), as well as in testing. ConclusionThis paper provides implications for both educators and hiring managers by listing the most important SE skills and the knowledge gaps in the industry.

RECT: A Cloud-Based Learning Tool for Graduate Software Engineering Practice Courses With Remote Tutor Support

Nowadays, remote collaborative learning tools for computer science education mostly emphasize providing learning resources and realizing virtual collaborative learning environment for students. Many people in this field tend to have their mind fixed on the process improvement of such a collaboration as a whole, while few notice that individuals may have different roles and impacts on this type of teamwork. There usually is a “supervisor” on the team, who offers support to all members in the collaborative learning environment. However, such support may not always be as accessible as students demand it to be. Therefore, this paper describes a cloud-based tool to support software engineering practice courses in collaboration with remote tutors. This system utilizes a cloud storage platform to provide sharing of multimedia study materials and a better management of project developing cycles. A remote collaborative component called the Virtual Debug Laboratory is designed to improve and share students’ debugging experience in the same team. The most innovative feature of this system is that it amplifies the role of tutoring in remote collaborative learning environments so that tutors can, in real time, assist students in debugging during actual project developing and demonstrate step by step to the students the process of debugging. The results of the analyzed data regarding the use of this system indicate that the system can potentially enhance students’ abilities in project developing and debugging in software engineering practice courses. It is our hope that these preliminary data can provide a future reference for the software education community.

Assessing Problem-Based Learning in a Software Engineering Curriculum Using Bloom’s Taxonomy and the IEEE Software Engineering Body of Knowledge

Problem-Based Learning (PBL) has often been seen as an all-or-nothing approach, difficult to apply in traditional curricula based on traditional lectured courses with exercise and lab sessions. Aalborg University has since its creation in 1974 practiced PBL in all subjects, including computer science and software engineering, following a model that has become known as the Aalborg Model. Following a strategic decision in 2009, the Aalborg Model has been reshaped. We first report on the software engineering program as it was in the old Aalborg Model. We analyze the programme wrt competence levels according to Bloom’s taxonomy and compare it with the expected skills and competencies for an engineer passing a general software engineering 4-year program with an additional 4 years of experience as defined in the IEEE Software Engineering Body of Knowledge (SWEBOK) [Abran et al. 2004]. We also compare with the Graduate Software Engineering 2009 Curriculum Guidelines for Graduate Degree Programmes in Software Engineering (GSwE2009) [Pyster 2009]. We then describe the new curriculum and draw some preliminary conclusions based on analyzing the curriculum according to Bloom’s taxonomy and the results of running the program for 2 years. As the new program is structured to be compliant with the Bologna Process and thus presents all activities in multipla of 5 European Credit Transfer System points, we envision that elements of the program could be used in more traditional curricula. This should be especially easy for programs also complying with the Bologna Process.

Gaining Hands-on Experience via Collaborative Learning: Interactive Computer Science Courses

In this paper we report on the practical outcomes of Software Studio (SS) undergraduate course, but also on a graduate Software Engineering for Internet Applications (SEIA) course, both of which are taught collaboratively by IT and non-IT faculty members. In the latter, students are assigned to projects proposed by actual customers and work together in teams to deliver quality results under time and resource constraints. We are interested in the learning results, such as skills acquired, e.g. by analysing the interaction between students and customers to determine how and to what degree the students transform through project based collaborative learning. As for the SEIA course, the primary goal is to allow students to manage a relatively large number of tools with little prior knowledge and having to work out how to obtain detailed information about given features, when required. In other words, students have to understand the key ideas of web application development in order to be able not only to apply technical knowledge, but also to successfully interact with all the stakeholders involved. In the process, we look for the added value of collaborative teaching, aiming at equipping the participants with both technical and non-technical skills required for their prospective jobs.

Collaborative tools: computer science students' skills versus software industry needs

AbstractSoftware companies encourage and further the use of collaborative tools and skills at the work place in pursuit of the benefits of their use: they improve communication, productivity and efficiency, and competitiveness. Besides, undergraduate and graduate software engineering computing curricula recommend subjects related to effective cooperative working and group learning. In order to align industry needs and curricula recommendations, universities should provide graduates with the collaborative knowledge and skills that will be required when they finish their degrees and join the labor market. In this scenario, we asked three questions: Are collaborative tools beneficial to software projects? Is it easier for graduates with knowledge and skills of collaborative tools to find a job? Do enterprises use collaborative tools as a marketing strategy for the recruitment process or are they really empowering their employees to use collaborative tools? We devised a survey which was administered to 86 recent computer science graduates. We applied statistical techniques to analyze the responses. We conclude that graduates skilled in the use of collaborative tools do find it easier to get jobs, and companies are not only looking for people with collaborative skills but also regularly use collaborative tools in their work processes. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Graduate Curricula in Software Engineering and Software Assurance: Need and Recommendations

The paper describes the results of two graduate curriculum projects: GSwE2009, which developed Graduate Software Engineering 2009: Curriculum Guidelines for Graduate Degree Programs in Software Engineering and MSwA2010, a current project, which is developing a Master of Software Assurance Reference Curriculum. The authors, who actively participated in the development of the recommendations, discuss the background, identification of the programs objectives and outcomes, relation to the respective Bodies of Knowledge, the audience and the required preparation, proposed curricula architecture, and the implementation comments.

Evaluation of Students’ Skills in Software Project

Software project probably is a sector that has witnessed the highest rate of project failure in the world. The industry claims that the software engineering graduates are not able to meet their requirements in software industry. This is surprising to the academia that offers software engineering specialization. This type of situation is creating the barrier between the software industry and academics and the efforts are made to reduce the gap. So it is important identify weaknesses of projects. This paper outlines evaluating questionnaire about the student projects in software development courses student projects. The questions were intended to test students’ soft skills and hard skills. This questionnaires performed Software Engineering, System Analysis and Design, and Agile Software Development courses in the Department of Computer Engineering. All of these courses are project based learning. In this study, soft skills and hard skills in software development courses students project evaluated. The purpose of this study identify the students project weaknesses in project based courses to provide better quality education in software development courses, preparing students for professional life, improvement of the success rate of software projects and possibly lead to reduce gap between academy and industry.

Reducing the Gap between Software Engineering Curricula and Software Industry in Jordan

Nowadays software is taking a very important role in almost all aspects of our daily lives which gave great importance to the study field of Software Engineering. However, most of the current Software Engineering graduates in Jordan lack the required knowledge and skills to join software industry because of many reasons. This research investigates these reasons by firstly analyzing more than 1000 software job listings in Jordanian and Gulf area e-recruitment services in order to discover the skills and knowledge areas that are mostly required by software industry in Jordan and the Gulf area, and secondly comparing these knowledge areas and skills with those provided by the Software Engineering curricula at the Jordanian Universities. The awareness of the Software Engineering students and academic staff of the concluded mostly required knowledge areas and skills is measured using two questionnaires. Recommendations to decrease the gap between Software Engineering academia and industry had also been taken from a sample of software companies’ manager using a third questionnaire. The results of this research revealed that many important skills such as Web applications development are very poorly covered by Software engineering curricula and that many Software engineering students and academic staffs are not aware about many of the mostly needed skills to join industry.

Open Badges: A Visual Method of Recognising Achievement and Increasing Learner Motivation

Ian Glover, who is based within the Technology-Enhanced Learning Team at Sheffield Hallam University, offers some brief thoughts on the use of Open Badges in recognising achievement and enhancing learner motivation in higher education. The use of Open Badges ties-in with employability, but more importantly may offer an innovative way to engage students in their learning. Ian is a Software Engineering graduate from Sheffield Hallam and has spent the past 10 years working on developing innovative educational technology tools and helping to create effective learning experiences through the use of technology. In 2006 he completed a PhD in the development of online collaborative learning tools at the University of Huddersfield.

Collaborative-Adversarial Pair Programming

This paper presents a study called collaborative-adversarial pair (CAP) programming which is an alternative to pair programming (PP). Its objective is to exploit the advantages of pair programming while at the same time downplaying its disadvantages. Unlike traditional pairs, where two people work together in all the phases of software development, CAPs start by designing together; splitting into independent test construction and code implementation roles; then joining again for testing. An empirical study was conducted in fall 2008 and in spring 2009 with twenty-six computer science and software engineering senior and graduate students at Auburn University. The subjects were randomly divided into two groups (CAP/experimental group and PP/control group). The subjects used Eclipse and JUnit to perform three programming tasks with different degrees of complexity. The results of this experiment point in favor of CAP development methodology and do not support the claim that pair programming in general reduces the software development duration, overall software development cost or increases the program quality or correctness.

Balancing software engineering education and industrial needs

In the world of information and communications technologies the demand for professionals with software engineering skills grows at an exponential rate. On this ground, we have conducted a study to help both academia and the software industry form a picture of the relationship between the competences of recent graduates of undergraduate and graduate software engineering programmes and the tasks that these professionals are to perform as part of their jobs in industry. Thanks to this study, academia will be able to observe which skills demanded by industry the software engineering curricula do or do not cater for, and industry will be able to ascertain which tasks a recent software engineering programme graduate is well qualified to perform. The study focuses on the software engineering knowledge guidelines provided in SE2004 and GSwE2009, and the job profiles identified by Career Space.

Industry linked graduate software engineering curriculum

In recent years, Software Engineering (SE) has emerged as an independent and mature discipline. In this context, various studies are being done to provide guidelines for undergraduate about graduate software engineering curriculum design. This article presents need of software industry related courses and discusses significance of industry linked software engineering education to meet educational objectives of all stakeholders. Software industry oriented curriculum for graduate level are discussed. Software industry aligned courses will facilitate to increase their employment prospects in industrial and other sectors.

An Investigation of an Open-Source Software Development Environment in a Software Engineering Graduate Course

A semester-long ethnography study was carried out to investigate project-based learning in a graduate software engineering course through the implementation of an Open-Source Software Development (OSSD) learning environment, which featured authentic projects, learning community, cognitive apprenticeship, and technology affordances. The study revealed that while the OSSD learning environment motivated students to engage in real-world projects, tensions were found between the students’ self-processes, such as their perceptions, expectations, beliefs, goals, and values, and the innovative learning environment. Most importantly, this study demonstrated key interplays between project authenticity and learner characteristics, which resulted in different identity representations and different perceptions among students, which in turn affected students’ goal orientations, motivation to work on projects, commitment to team collaboration, attitudes toward expert coaching and feedback, and the use of collaborative technologies.

Engaging the net generation with evidence-based software engineering through a community-driven web database

Software engineering faculty face the challenge of educating future researchers and industry practitioners regarding the generation of empirical software engineering studies and their use in evidence-based software engineering. In order to engage the Net generation with this topic, we propose development and population of a community-driven Web database containing summaries of empirical software engineering studies. We also present our experience with integrating these activities into a graduate software engineering course. These efforts resulted in the creation of “SEEDS: Software Engineering Evidence Database System”. Graduate students initially populated SEEDS with 216 summaries of empirical software engineering studies. The summaries were randomly sampled and reviewed by industry professionals who found the student-written summaries to be at least as useful as professional-written summaries. In fact, 30% more of the respondents found the student-written summaries to be “very useful”. Motivations, student and instructor-developed prototypes, and assessments of the resulting artifacts will be discussed.