THE DIFFERENT ACTIVE LEARNING STRATEGIES IN SOFTWARE ENGINEERING AND THEIR EFFECTIVENESS

Vladimir VujovićMirjana Maksimović

Branko Perišić

INTRODUCTION The methods and principles of learning are an important part of every educational system:• they are not simple• vary from study fields

Computers evolve and today they are widespread used in all spheres of life and processes

No matter what goals students have to achieve they „need to do things”, engage with ideas, practice, try, revise, talk, write, think, work…

Computer and software are used in all areas of education

INTRODUCTION Learning Management System (LMS) is software support on which today's principles of learning rely(they support a set of tool for collaboration, chat and discussion forums)

Software Engineering (SE) is now a day’s a matured discipline with well defined Body of Knowledge, Curriculum Standards and Code of Ethics

SE education must deliver knowledge and skills needed for effective use of software for solving the real life problems

SWEBOK Version 3.0

IEEE and ACM

CANNOT BE BASED ONLY ON THE

THEORETICAL PART

ACTIVE LEARNING STRATEGIES: ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGESMain problem in learning approaches today is not a technology.

The key fact is to find an adequate methodology for presentation and using of knowledge based on learning domain and study fields.

ACTIVE LEARNING STRATEGIES: ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGESProblem-based learning

Problem-based learning is an approach to learn by focusing on the process of solving a problem and

acquiring knowledgeThrough this active learning strategy, students learn to:• Solve real-life problems;

• Develop the ability to find and use appropriate resources for problem solving;

• Employ effective self-directed and self-motivated learning skills;

• Continuously monitor and assess the adequacy of their own knowledge and of their problem-solving skills;

• Through team work develop communication and leadership skills, social and ethical skills.

ACTIVE LEARNING STRATEGIES: ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGESProblem-based learning

Problem-based learning is an approach to learn by focusing on the process of solving a problem and

acquiring knowledgeDisadvantages of problem-based active learning strategy are • Higher costs;

• Higher time demands;

• Change of students and teacher roles;

• Formulation of appropriate problems that encompass both a large goal and specific objectives;

• Setting up appropriate assessment and facing a lack of extrinsic rewards.

ACTIVE LEARNING STRATEGIES: ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGESProject-based learning

Project-based learning - PBL considers solving of problems which are based on real projects.

Permanent knowledge based on their own experience

Projects put students in an active role such as:

problem solver, decision maker,

investigator, or documentarian

Students receive the knowledge through:• Research and practical application of the acquired

knowledge;• Detection of subject matters that should be learned;• Developing sociological skills to achieve higher

performance within the team;• Improving communication skills;• Strengthening attitudes with valid arguments;• Flexibility in the information processing and fulfilling the

obligations• Achieving practical knowledge necessary after graduation.

ACTIVE LEARNING STRATEGIES: ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGESProject-based learning

Project-based learning - PBL considers solving of problems which are based on real projects.

Characteristic of PBL can be summarized into: • Students make decisions within a prescribed framework;• There is a problem or challenge without a predetermined

solution;• Students design the process for reaching a solution;• Students are responsible for accessing and managing the

information they gather;• Evaluation takes place continuously;• Students regularly reflect on what they are doing; • A final product (not necessarily material) is produced and is

evaluated for quality;• The classroom has an atmosphere that tolerates error

and change.

For students, benefits of PBL include: • Increased attendance, growth in self-reliance, and improved

attitudes toward learning• Academic gains equal to or better than those generated by

other models, with students involved in projects taking greater responsibility for their own learning than during more traditional classroom activities

• Opportunities to develop complex skills, such as higher-order thinking, problem-solving, collaborating, and communicating

• Access to a broader range of learning opportunities in the classroom

For teachers, additional benefits include:• Enhanced professionalism and collaboration among colleagues,

and opportunities to build relationships with students• Finding a model that accommodates diverse learners by

introducing a wider range of learning opportunities into the classroom. Teachers find that students who benefit the most from PBL tend to be those for whom traditional instructional methods and approaches are not effective

Does not reflect the real situation in engineering science, especially in software development.

ACTIVE LEARNING STRATEGIES: ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGESTeam-based learning

Independent work of students on the projects can be very effective

Essential TBL elements which need to be successfully implemented are:• Groups • Accountability • Feedback• Assignment design

Team-based Learning is based on the concept of teamwork

TBL can improve the skills and abilities of the students that will be required to perform work in organizations and to develop their career

in environments that are team-based.

very good position in the real business environment

ACTIVE LEARNING STRATEGIES: ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGESE-learning

E-learning is electronic learning, and typically this means using a computer to deliver training,

educational or learning material.

Benefits associated with implementing e-learning such as: It is scalable, efficient and fast; Flexibility (learning when and where); Using e-learning is cost effective and saves time; Capacity and consistency; Higher learning retention than traditional learning;

and It makes easy to track and prove progress.

ACTIVE LEARNING STRATEGIES: ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGESE-learning

E-learning is electronic learning, and typically this means using a computer to deliver training,

educational or learning material.

Disadvantages of e-learning can be summarized into: Technology dependency; Material incompatibility; Unsuitable for certain types of learners and

training; Reliant of the quality of the content, on human

support and on IT skills; Social/economic disadvantage; No match for face-to-face teaching.

ACTIVE LEARNING STRATEGIES: ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGESLifelong learning

Lifelong learning idea is „anytime, anywhere, anyone”

Lifelong learning is a mixture

E-learning TBLPBL

Approaches and strategies that need to be fulfilled to make that lifelong learning has methodological and pedagogical approach:Open and distance learning, electronic platforms;Online course and test materials presentations; The interaction between teacher and student, or

between students;The possibility of virtual laboratory exercises; andThe evaluation and assessment of student

progress through electronic platforms.

ACTIVE LEARNING STRATEGIES: ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGESSelf-Directed Learning

Self-teaching is based on idea that people should take control of their own learning and adopt self-directed

inquiry as a lifelong priority

In SDL learner must to take the initiative for : Diagnosing learning needs; Formulation goals; Identify resources, Implementing appropriate activities Evaluating outcomes.

A common criticism of this strategy is that students, as novices,

cannot be expected to know what might be important for them to learn

PROPOSED LEARNING METHODOLOGY FOR LEARNING SOFTWARE ENGINEERINGSoftware Engineering multidisciplinary science

• analysis and detecting a problem, • modelling, • designing, • problem solving, • obtaining and reusing knowledgeDifferent methods

and principles

PBLTBL

PROPOSED LEARNING METHODOLOGY FOR LEARNING SOFTWARE ENGINEERINGPBL Setup tasks Control tasks

TBL Distribution tasks to groups

E-learning

Available over Internet

In case of Software Engineering, emphasis is on:• collaboration, • team building, • brainstorming, • problem detecting and • problem solving.

HYBRID

... VCS ... Moodle ... Redmine ... Eclipse ...

VERIFYING OF SELECTED APPROACHSoftware Engineering courses at faculty of Electrical

Engineering in East Sarajevo

Virtualization

System ensures that students have access to a whole set of tools available through one development environment.

Version Control System

Project Management Software

www.eclipse.org

System is used for distribution of materials, project tasks, control tasks and progress monitoring for courses support in

subjects which study a SE elements.

VERIFYING OF SELECTED APPROACH

LMS

For TBL a main benefit of this approach is orchestration team members and groups over created tasks. Tasks can be also explicit assigned to a member, on which he can apply an SDL technique. The second benefit can be summarized in PBL as a system for dissemination of tasks.

VERIFYING OF SELECTED APPROACH

Main problem in curses is how to evaluate each student and each group. Redmine provides a good tool which can help in

performing this task.

CONCLUSION

Software Engineering as an interdisciplinary science requires for overall comprehensive environments.

Combining stated tools and techniques in large and complex systems, the benefits of managing, distributing and evaluating materials listened on software engineering courses are being achieved.

Each student has access to tool that provides all their needs in courses through the IDE, while teachers get better, more elegant and more discreet system of project management.

These systems can provide support for all courses, even those that do not fall within the scope of Software Engineering.Thanks for attention!