Practical Software Engineering Capstone Course – Framework for Large, Open-Ended Projects to Graduate Student Teams

2019 ◽  
pp. 310-327
Author(s):  
Timo Vasankari ◽  
Anne-Maarit Majanoja
Keyword(s):  
Software Engineering ◽  
Graduate Student ◽  
Capstone Course ◽  
Student Teams

scholarly journals Exploring motivation and teamwork in a large software engineering capstone course during the coronavirus pandemic

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yngve Lindsjørn ◽  
Steffen Almås ◽  
Viktoria Stray
Keyword(s):  
Software Engineering ◽  
Team Performance ◽  
Digital Platforms ◽  
Capstone Course ◽  
Student Teams ◽  
Similar Survey ◽  
Communication And Coordination ◽  
University Of Oslo ◽  
The University ◽  
Agile Teams

In the spring of 2020, the Department of Informatics covered a 20 ECTS capstone course in Software Engineering, mainly focusing on developing a complex application. The course used active learning methods, and 240 students were working in 42 cross-functional, agile teams. The pandemic caused by the coronavirus had a significant impact on the teaching given by the University of Oslo, as all physical education and collaboration among the teams had to be digital from March 12. At the end of the semester, we conducted a survey that focused on 1) aspects of teamwork (e.g., communication and coordination in the teams) and the relation to team performance (e.g., the application product) and 2) the students’ motivation and ability to cooperate through digital platforms. A total of 151 respondents in 41 agile student teams answered the survey. This study aimed to investigate how the teamwork and motivation of the students were affected by having to work virtually. The results are compared to results from the same course in 2019 and a similar survey on 71 professional teams published in 2016. Our results show that the teamwork was evaluated similarly to both the evaluation of survey conducted in 2019 and on the professional teams in 2016.  The motivation among the students remained high, even though they had to collaborate virtually.

Experiences in Software Engineering Education

2014 ◽  
pp. 250-276
Author(s):  
Ezequiel Scott ◽  
Guillermo Rodríguez ◽  
Álvaro Soria ◽  
Marcelo Campo
Keyword(s):  
Software Engineering ◽  
Training Model ◽  
Academic Quality ◽  
Capstone Course ◽  
Software Engineering Education ◽  
Training Courses ◽  
Flexible Framework ◽  
Engineering Practices ◽  
Professional Contexts ◽  
Engineering Training

Software Engineering courses aim to train students to succeed in meeting the challenges within competitive and ever-changing professional contexts. Thus, undergraduate courses require continual revision and updating so as to cater for the demands of the software industry and guarantee academic quality. In this context, Scrum results in both a suitable and a flexible framework to train students in the implementation of professional software engineering practices. However, current approaches fail to provide guidance and assistance in applying Scrum, or a platform to address limitations in time, scope, and facilities within university premises. In this chapter, the authors present a software engineering training model based on the integration of the Agile Coach role and a virtual-reality platform called Virtual Scrum. The findings highlight the benefits of integrating this innovative model in a capstone course. Not only does this approach strengthen the acquisition of current software engineering practices but also opens new possibilities in the design of training courses.

Teaching Software Engineering in a Computer Science Program Using the Affinity Research Group Philosophy

2009 ◽  
pp. 136-156 ◽  
Author(s):  
Steve Roach
Keyword(s):  
Software Engineering ◽  
Computer Science ◽  
Research Group ◽  
El Paso ◽  
Science Program ◽  
Capstone Course ◽  
University Of Texas ◽  
Constructive Feedback ◽  
The University ◽  
Development Of Students

This chapter describes a two-semester software engineering course that is taught in a computer science program at the University of Texas at El Paso. The course is distinguished from other courses in that it is based on the Affinity Research Group (ARG) philosophy that focuses on the deliberate development of students’ team, professional and technical skills within a cooperative environment. To address the challenge of having to teach professional and team skills as well as software engineering principles, approaches, techniques, and tools in a capstone course, the authors have defined an approach that uses a continuum of instruction, practice, and application with constructive feedback loops. The authors hope that the readers will benefit from the description of the approach and how ARG components are incorporated into the course.

scholarly journals Forming and Assessing Student Teams in Software Engineering Courses

2020 ◽  
pp. 298-306
Author(s):  
Henrik Hillestad Løvold ◽  
Yngve Lindsjørn ◽  
Viktoria Stray
Keyword(s):  
Software Engineering ◽  
Software Development ◽  
Agile Software Development ◽  
Team Work ◽  
Development Projects ◽  
Work Behaviors ◽  
High Performing ◽  
Student Teams ◽  
Agile Software ◽  
Better Than

Abstract In software development projects, working in teams is essential. Therefore, software engineering courses often require the students to be working in teams to learn about team work behaviors and practices. The instructors of software engineering courses are presented with several challenges when teaching courses that require teamwork. For example, how to form high-performing student teams, and how to assess their work. The aim of this study is to evaluate whether there are differences in performance whether the students form the teams themselves, or if the teams are formed by the instructor. We evaluated a course involving agile software development by 200 students working in 39 teams. A total of 76% of the students chose to form their own teams, the remaining 24% were placed in teams by the instructors. Our findings indicate that teams formed by the students perform slightly better than the teams formed by the instructors.

Experiences in Project-Based Software Engineering

2009 ◽  
pp. 191-211
Author(s):  
Steven A. Demurjian ◽  
Donald M. Needham
Keyword(s):  
Software Engineering ◽  
Computer Science ◽  
Continuous Improvement ◽  
Educational Outcomes ◽  
Outcomes Assessment ◽  
Years Of Experience ◽  
Capstone Course ◽  
Continuous Improvement Process ◽  
What Works

Project-based capstone software engineering courses are a norm in many computer science (CS) and computer science & engineering (CS&E) accredited programs. Such cap-stone design courses offer an excellent vehicle for educational outcomes assessment to support the continuous improvement process required for accreditation. A project-based software engineering capstone course near the end of a student’s program can span the majority of CS and CS&E program objectives, providing a significant means to assess at-tainment of these objectives in a single course location. One objective of this chapter is to explore the role of a project-based, software engineering course in accreditation. An addi-tional objective is to relate over twelve combined years of experience in teaching such a course, and in the process, highlight what works and what does not. We candidly examine both the successes and the failures that we have encountered over the years, and provide a roadmap for other instructors and departments seeking to institute such courses.

scholarly journals 9. Reducing the Boundaries Between the Community and the Academy With a Full-Time Service Learning Capstone

2013 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
pp. 48
Author(s):  
Andy Ballard
Keyword(s):  
Service Learning ◽  
Peer Evaluation ◽  
Full Time ◽  
Free Enterprise ◽  
Time Service ◽  
Capstone Course ◽  
Business Skills ◽  
Community Needs ◽  
Student Teams

The purpose of this paper is to share my experiences as the instructor of a full-time, single semester, service-learning capstone course. In this innovative course students already volunteering in the Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE) organization work in teams to identify community needs and address them using their business skills and knowledge and an entrepreneurial approach. The student teams are responsible for all phases of the work, from working with the community to identify needs through planning solutions to implementation and measurement. The students’ work is assessed through presentation, report, reflection and peer evaluation. 

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