Student perceptions and attitudes towards the software factory as a learning environment
- 1. Student perceptions and attitudes towards the software factory as a learning environment Muhammad Ovais Ahmad , Kari Liukkunen, Jouni Markkula
- 2. Agenda • Motivation • Research problem • Research Method • Results and discussion • Conclusion and future work
- 3. Motivation Industry needs graduates from universities having knowledge and skills to tackle the practical issues of real life software development. To facilitate software engineering students and fulfill industry need, the Department of Information Processing Science, University of Oulu, Finland, built a Software Factory laboratory (SWF) in 2012 based on Lean concept. Industry need
- 4. Software factory What’s in it University and researchers Student Entrepreneur or Company - Access to research subjects in industry-like environment - Technologically novel research environment - Opportunities for cross- disciplinary research - Opportunities for collaboration with other researchers in the factory network - Funding opportunities via collaboration in joint research initiatives (FP7, ITEA, Artemis) - Erasmus exchange - Work with the modern technologies and development methods - Experiment, innovate and try new things - Work with the industry, with their challenges and in industry-like environment - Contacts with the industry and opportunities for employment - Erasmus exchange - Pilot new technologies and methods in the safe and controlled environment - Many ways to participate - Modern cloud-based tools and environments - Full transparency and visibility for the development process and tools - Access to the whole factory network and experiences of it - Collaboration opportunities with other industry participants
- 5. Software factory New methods and tools to use Apply new concept to solve problem in their own way Prepare for the challenging position in industry Project Course
- 6. Research Problem To examines factors in software factory learning environment which affect learning of student in software factory project course.
- 7. Theoretical Framework Computer laboratory Environment Inventory (CLEI) Attitude towards Computers and Computing Courses Questionnaire instrument (ACCC) Additional constructs: Kanban board Collaborative learning
- 8. Computer laboratory Environment Inventory Description of CLEI Constructs Description Sample item Student Cohesion Extent to which students know, help, and are supportive of each other I get on well with students in this laboratory class Open- Endedness Extent to which the laboratory activities encourage an open-ended, divergent approach to use of computers There is opportunity for me to pursue my own computing interests in this laboratory class Integration Extent to which the laboratory activities are integrated with non- laboratory and theory classes The laboratory work is unrelated to the topics that I am studying in my lecture Technology Adequacy Extent to which the hardware and software are adequate for the tasks required The computers are suitable for running the software I am required to use
- 9. Attitude towards Computers and Computing Courses Questionnaire instrument Description of ACCC Constructs Description Sample item Anxiety Extent to which the student feels comfortable using a computer Working with a computer makes me very nervous. Enjoyment Extent to which the student enjoys working on a computer I enjoy learning on a computer. Usefulness of course Extent to which the student found the course useful I do not think I will use what I learned in this class.
- 10. Kanban and Collaborative learning Kanban execute Lean thinking in practice; however Lean is more than Kanban. Kanban Principles Visualize the workflow Limit work in progress Manage flow Make process policies explicit Improve collaboratively (using models and the scientific method) Collaborative learning is an instructional approach in which a small number of learners interact together and share their knowledge and skills in order to reach a specific learning goal.
- 11. Research method Quantitative research approach Web survey Question were based on the mentioned research instrument The measurement was based on five-point Likert-type scale Survey population: Masters degree final year students who participate in software factory project course (7 projects).
- 12. DiscussionResults The general findings indicate that software factory environment, collaborative learning and Kanban board play important role in software engineering students learning, academic achievements and professional skills gaining. The findings are helpful to develop a better understanding about learning environments. The information gathered in this study can also be used to improve the software engineering learning environment. Constructs Mean α Student Cohesion 4.85 0.895 Usefulness of course 3.74 0.996 Open-Endedness 3.66 0.870 Collaborative learning 3.67 0.887 Enjoyment 3.64 0.861 Kanban board 3.59 0.868 Integration 3.52 0.582 Technology Adequacy 3.46 0.968 Anxiety 2.16 0.759
- 13. Competencies gained Effective task management Solving complex problems Sharing responsibilities Developing a shared Building a positive relationships Negotiating with other groups Use of rational argument to persuade others Resolving conflict
- 14. Interesting Findings In software factory Students Feels more confident and supportive of each other while solving problems in different ways. Have opportunity to work with a real customer on a real industrial project Make a bridge between theoretical knowledge of software engineering and practical software development and management work Kanban board helps in visualizing and prioritizing an entire work project more efficiently. One student reported in the open-ended question that I believe Kanban board helps me to follow my project procedure when I am lost. Students believed that the knowledge obtained in the Software factory project course would help them in a future job.
- 15. Future workConclusion Research focused mainly on obtaining a general perception of master’s degree student learning in project course at software factory environment. Factors affecting student learning were explored relying on the well-known CLEI,ACCC, collaborative learning and Kanban. However, the actual strength of the factors affecting the student learning in SWF was not measured. For future work larger sample sizes are required. A network has already built with some European software factories and its expansion is ongoing to other software factories.
- 16. Thank you Muhammad Ovais Ahmad Doctoral Candidate Department of Information Processing Science E-mail: muhammad.ahmad@oulu.fi Thank you
- 17. Thank you Ahmad Muhammad Ovais, Kari Liukkunen, Jouni Markkula (2014) Student perceptions and attitudes towards the software factory as a learning environment. IEEE Global Engineering Education Conference, 3-5 April 2014, Istanbul, Turkey References