Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, July 22-25, 2013

Agile Project-Based

Teaching and Learning

Talk at the 11th International Conference on

Software Engineering Research and Practice, SERP 2013

WORLDCOMP 2013

Dagmar Monett

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How do students learn best?

D. Monett 3 Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, July 22-25, 2013 The paper’s word cloud was created with Tagxedo

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D. Monett 5 Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, July 22-25, 2013

Module: Project Management (14 ECTS-credits)

Sub-modules at the BSEL:

- Project and Quality Management (20%)

- Multidisciplinary Lab using Agile techniques

(30%)

Sub-module at the enterprises/companies:

- Practice Transfer (50%)

(ECTS: European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System, 1 credit point = 30 hours of study)

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Multidisciplinary Lab using Agile

Agile Project-based Learning

Interdisciplinary approach

- Agile Metaheuristics TSP

Agile in general, XP in particular

44 Semester Credit Hours (1 SCH = 45 Min. of

teaching time)

Block course (4 blocks)

Coaching sections

Agile project development in the Lab (theo + pract)

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Four compact teaching blocks

© Rawich

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6 Semester Credit Hours

© Rawich

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2 continuous days in PC Lab

16 Semester Credit Hours

© Rawich

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2 continuous days in PC Lab

16 Semester Credit Hours one month later

© Rawich

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6 Semester Credit Hours

by the term’s end

© Rawich

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D. Monett 15 Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, July 22-25, 2013

Welcoming, Agenda 5

Theory: Planning game 20

Brainstorming: Examples 3

Theory: Project requirements 20

Advice on planning game 2

Transfer: Planning game 35

3 Feedback, Conclusions 5

Duration in minutes

Sandwich =

passive +

active learning

units

Example of double credit hour

90 min.

© digitalart

D. Monett 16 Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, July 22-25, 2013

© FNO Press

http://www.jerryking.com/

The reality of

some passive

learning

units…

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Double credit hour with teamwork

3rd course block: mainly teamwork in the Lab

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In parenthesis:

students answering survey

© http://freeaninationwallpaper.blogspot.de

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3 releases

No much time available each week (4 SCH)

No special didactic method or coaching

Some projects incomplete by term’s end © http://freeaninationwallpaper.blogspot.de

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2 releases (former students’ feedback)

Intensive work in the Lab (2 x 16 SCH)

Several didactic methods + coaching + tools

All course projects successfully finished! © http://freeaninationwallpaper.blogspot.de

D. Monett 23 Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, July 22-25, 2013 © StuartMiles

D. Monett 24 Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, July 22-25, 2013

Course/Teaching evaluation

Anonymous questionnaire independent of formal

faculty evaluations

Questions (16) catalogue with descriptive scale

values

Four major topics:

- course and project requirements

- teaching and coaching

- how students learned

- Agile techniques

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Ex. topic: Agile techniques

Descriptive values available:

very much normal very little abstention

very helpful normal irritating abstention

excessive adequate insufficient abstention

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Averages (4 editions, N=103)

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Averages (4 editions, N=103)

time/requirements: normal/realistic

TSP & ACO: motivating

course: motivating

quality/ productivity: improved very much

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Averages (SS2011 vs. SS2012)

11 12

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Few students still “behind”…

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But…

D. Monett 31 Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, July 22-25, 2013 © StuartMiles

D. Monett 32 Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, July 22-25, 2013 © StuartMiles

Most mentioned positive comments

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Tools: a big plus!

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Conclusions

© luigidiamanti

D. Monett 35 Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, July 22-25, 2013 © podpad

Teach Agile in a blocked course and project-based!

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Use a sandwich structure: combine passive with active learning units!

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Higher students‘ engagement

Favorable team work

Active in-class participation

Skills‘ improvement

Successful projects

Student satisfaction

…

What you get

© thaikrit

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Students: “We learn better with project-based Agile!”