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A New Approach to Collaborative Learning in Software Engineering Focussed on Embedded Systems
(2013)
Software Engineering is a very complex and abstract process and therefore hard to learn and hard to teach. Especially in mechatronics software engineering is not the main focus of the university studies. Therefore students have little understanding and low motivation to spend time on it. In this paper, we share some experiences on how we tried to give students a deeper understanding for software engineering, its processes and the complexity of software engineering projects. To that end, we chose a new didactical approach consisting of direct instruction and activating learning styles in parallel. The classical lectures were supplemented by a seminar and a project phase to allow students to apply their theoretical learned knowledge without delay in realistic settings. We combined active and passive learning styles to give students the opportunity to consolidate factual knowledge, foster soft skills (e.g. presentation and communication skills), improve team work and gain a deeper understanding of software engineering processes. The experiences of our courses in summer semesters 2010 and 2012 lead to a further development of our didactical approach in 2013. As a consequence, we tried further methods to spread needed information across the student working groups by using a wiki-system, a market of knowledge or mixing the groups between seminar and project phase. At the end of the seminar phase quality gates were implemented and also awards at the end of the project phase. Systematically evaluations at the end of the seminar phase and at the end of the project work show the learning outcomes and possible further improvements of our didactical approach.
In this paper a new teaching-learning-method including
the LEGO Mindstorms EV3 is presented. This computer
sciences course is part of the studies of mechatronics in the first
two semesters. The programming language being mediated is
ANSI-C. Computer science is not the most popular subject in
the interdisciplinary engineering field of mechatronics, therefore
the EV3 should be included to increase motivation. For the new
approach the former course – without the usage of EV3s – was
evaluated and a competency profile was identified. On this basis
a new didactical method was designed and implemented.
The EV3 is programmed with the IDE Eclipse and with a self
programmed plug-in.
Software Engineering is a very complex theme including abstract processes. Thus its university education is even more challenging; in particular in the course of study in mechatronics, in which various subjects are integrated and combined. Due to our experience the students are low motivated concerning the subject "Software Engineering", because of the mixture of technical and interdisciplinary competencies, therefore the subject matter is difficult to teach.
In this paper, we share some experiences, as we have tried to activate students and therefore attempt to deepen their understanding of Software Engineering and its processes. As a central tool of the seminar phase, which is used to combine active and passive learning styles, a Wiki embedded in our learning management system Moodle was introduced.
Collaborative Knowledge Transfer via Wiki: A Project Based Learning Approach in Software Engineering
(2014)
Due to the high complexity and numerous abstract processes in the subject Software Engineering (SWE), both, challenges in teaching and in learning arise. The teaching of Software Engineering is attempted by a new didactic approach to convey a deeper understanding of the complexity and the processes of Software Engineering in the context of the course.
The approach complements the classical ex-cathedra lecture with a seminar and a project phase, whereby the direct application of theoretical knowledge is achieved in real-world situations. In addition to the consolidation of factual knowledge, transferable skills, such as presentation, communication and teamwork skills, can be encouraged.
The approach focuses on self-studying as well as collaborative learning. The knowledge gained from team working is multiplied by the Wiki and spread over the whole semester.
Ein neues Lehr-/Lernarrangement als Einstieg in die C-Programmierung mittels LEGO Mindstorms EV3
(2015)
Ziel ist es, die Qualitätsverbesserung des Lehr-/Lernprozesses in der C-Programmierung
durch die Integration eines Roboters darzustellen. Dieses neue Konzept wurde bereits
teilweise in der Informatikveranstaltung (Studiengang Mechatronik – erstes und zweites
Semester mit 180 Minuten pro Woche) umgesetzt.
University education in Software Engineering is a challenge for both lecturers and students. Software Engineering is a very complex theme requiring various technical and nontechnical skills. At the beginning of a research project we asked which competencies our graduates need in their everyday working life. In this paper the course survey of graduates is described to gain information about necessary expert and interdisciplinary competencies. First of all, the conceptual approach and the research goals are explained. In a second step the research design in detail will be illustrated. Afterwards analyses take place considering this survey in order to get information concerning competencies and to evaluate the course retrospectively considering this expertise. Furthermore it is required to determine whether improvements or deteriorations in chronological sequence through the semesters can be detected. The students' attitude towards this course is not that positive, so also the survey includes this bias. But, as the learning and teaching arrangement shall be designed more attractive for students as well, first their evaluation has to be analysed. The last chapter provides a summary and an outlook how the results of this survey will be used to improve the quality of teaching. All of this combined is intended to contribute towards the development of a Competency Profile and in a wider context to reach the top goal of the project, to obtain recommendations for teaching and learning methods to improve the quality of teaching.
The development of competencies and also the usage of E-Learning and distance education in higher education are key aspects of the Bologna Process. Through the use of E-Learning, individual learning styles (e.g., different learning conditions, speeds and pathways) and competence orientation can be supported and promoted. The combination of traditional classroom teaching and self-study as well as the use of information and communication technologies promise a better quality of teaching. As a result a variety of projects were launched to develop new teaching and learning arrangements while optimizing existing approaches.
Using Grounded Theory Methodology to Discover Undergraduates’ Preconceptions of Software Engineering
(2018)
To handle heterogeneity within students, to foster needed generic
competencies, to motivate them, and to increase their employability, a didactical method to teach and learn programming in non-major degree programs shall be found. Therefore, this paper covers strategies and the theoretical underpinning concerning these four challenges and gives solutions how to cope with them. Finally, Pair Programming is presented as a method that addresses the issues introduced here.
Ein zentrales Konzept jeder konstruktivistisch geprägten Auffassung von Lernen ist, dass das Vorwissen, die Präkonzepte und ggf. Fehlvorstellungen der Lernenden einen direkten Einfluss auf den Lernprozess haben: sowohl negativ als auch positiv. Speziell für die Informatik gilt, dass Lernende heutzutage von Beginn an in einer Welt aufwachsen, die von informatischen Artefakten und Systemen nahezu vollständig durchdrungen ist. Sie beobachten sie, interagieren mit ihnen und formen so Vorstellungen über ihre Funktionsweisen und Eigenschaften. Sie bilden somit bereits im Alltag und vor dem Beginn jeglicher Schulbildung kohärente Konzeptionen über zentrale Gegenstände und Inhalte der Informatik. Im Rahmen dieses Workshops werden zunächst verschiedene methodische Ansätze und erste Ergebnisse zu Erhebungen solcher Lernervorstellungen vorgestellt. Anschließend sollen diese anhand von drei Leitfragen verglichen und diskutiert werden: Welche Stärken und Schwächen haben die jeweils verwendeten empirischen Methoden bei der Erhebung von Lernervorstellungen in der Informatik? Wie können sie sich ggf. sinnvoll ergänzen? Welche Implikationen haben die erhobenen Vorstellungen für die Unterrichtspraxis?
Using Grounded Theory Methodology to Discover Undergraduates’ Preconceptions of Software Engineering
(2018)
Language - spoken and written - is the medium for information and knowledge sharing; and it is almost always even a role of every subject in (higher) education. The language therefore plays an important part in teaching and learning. This is further underlined by the fact that "discipline-specific language" - which is "the uses of language in university discipline learning and teaching and in professional life in a particular discipline" - can be understood as a link between knowledge and generic/personal/interpersonal competencies; especially communication skills. In this paper a research proposal is outlined to enable an enhanced and conscious approach to the use of language and special terms in Software Engineering in higher education. This is done by a two-piece approach that considers terminology from a linguistic and a didactical point of view. All of this combined is intended to contribute toward the development of a terminology in Software Engineering and, in a wider context, to reach the top goal of this research agenda: To be able to obtain recommendations for action for teaching and learning methods to improve the quality and sustainability of teaching and learning in this discipline.
A Validated Educational Format in Software Engineering Targeting Students’ Collaboration Skills
(2016)
In the context of the Bologna process the “shift from teaching to learning” is postulated to meet two central goals: To increase the students’ employability and to foster needed competencies.
To be in a position to process methods and find solutions for highly complex, abstract, large, and multilayered problems, a Software Engineer has to have a lot of subject knowledge and technical competencies; but above all, he/she has to be able to work in – at least one – team.
For the purpose of preparing the students with professional know-how and moreover with teamwork skills, the approach shown in this paper supplements an ex-cathedra teaching by a seminar and a project phase. This combination is dedicated to acquire theoretical knowledge in a collaborative and self-directed way. This is done in order to be able to deepen the learned matter, to share content through learning-by-teaching in groups and furthermore to apply the knowledge and skills in a simulated project, which constitutes a realistic situation and teamwork of an engineer as good as possible.
In Software Engineering education didactical foundation is still at its beginnings. In recent years, this topic is put into stronger focus, as Software Engineering becomes more and more important in our everyday life. However, it is hard to teach and learn, because of diverse factors, e.g. the immateriality of the product. Therefore it is significant to improve the learning process on the one hand and to minimise obstacles to learning on the other hand. Other disciplines – with a long historical background in their ”Fachdidaktik” (e.g., biology or chemistry) – have already dealt with one sort of learning barriers; so-called misconceptions. The hurdle that misconceptions create can and will be explained by the constructivist learning theory. This paper covers a research approach to identify, analyse, filter and Cluster misconceptions in Software Engineering.
A Software Engineer's Competencies: Undergraduate Preconceptions in Contrast to Teach-ing Intentions
(2019)
Unlike numerous scientific disciplines, the field of engineering has rarely been subject to investigations of undergraduate pre-/misconceptions except for STEM subjects within engineering degrees. When it comes to Software Engineering, some special issues have to be taken into account (e.g. novelty of the discipline and immateriality of the product) that make this discipline hard to teach and learn. Additionally, it requires a wide range of different technical competencies as well as soft skills. As a consequence, the goal is to improve learning by using undergraduates’ “right” conceptions as “points of departure” and reduce learning obstacles by facing misconceptions.
This paper is giving some first insights into a quantitative study conducted with undergraduates – before and after instruction – as well as two professors using a questionnaire to rate Software Engineering competencies to elicit preconceptions.
To handle heterogeneity within students, to foster needed generic competencies, to motivate them, and to increase their employability, Pair Programming seems to be a suitable didactical method to teach and learn programming. In this context, Pair Programming was used in programming lessons and its effectiveness was evaluated. This paper presents the results of the evaluations in order to derive whether Pair Programming is a suitable method to meet the mentioned challenges in a didactically meaningful way.
In the practical Computer Science lessons at our University of Applied Sciences the students (Bachelor of Engineering in Mechatronics as well as Electrical Engineering and Information Technology) learn the programming language ANSI-C during the curriculum. 2015 the LEGO MindStorms EV3 robots were integrated into this lessons. Looking at this teaching & learning arrangement, the evaluations showed, a higher level of undergraduates’ motivation, more fun, and more practical relevance, but also some challenges; for instance the problem that the robots are only available in the lab during opening hours. Therefore, a transformer was developed to run an existing EV3 simulation. The plan is now to use a plugin for integrating this option into the Integrated Development Environment Eclipse as an intermediate stage. In the long term, several developments shall be combined to build a browser-based development environment for programming EV3 robots as well as the self-developed EV3 simulation. Therefore, this paper covers the holistic concept of integration.