Software Engineering 2004

Abstract: This paper is a collection of reflections on some of the curricular decisions made in “Software Engineering 2004,” the Software Engineering volume of the Computing Curricula 2001 project. We briefly describe the contents of the Volume and the process used in developing the Volume's guidelines. We then look in more detail at the rationale behind some of the more controversial decisions made. We conclude with how we expect the Volume to be used in practice.

Abstract: Introduction During the last two decades, a program in computer science (CS) (Gal-Ezer, Beeri, Harel, & Yehudai, 1995) and a program in software engineering (SE) (The Ministry of Education, 2004) especially designed for the high-school level have been in operation in Israel. The aim of the computer science program is to expose the students to a fundamental scientific domain whose principles are characteristic of algorithmic thinking. The software engineering program consists of the following components: (a) an elective topic in natural sciences, (b) computer science, and (c) an elective advanced specialized topic. Its aim is to expose the students to computational thinking (Wing, 2006) as well as to system-level perception (Gal-Ezer & Zeldes, 2000). Both programs have evolved over the years in accordance with changes in the discipline of computing; however, a gap still exists between the school programs and the "real world" of computing related to: content, learning culture, and the professional norms governing software development processes. We believe that in order to motivate students to seek expertise in the field, it is important to expose them to up-to-date computing research and development (RD however, they rarely resemble the state-of-the-art computing research and development as well as the new, evolving directions in the field. Regarding bridging the gap between learning in school and real-world situations, Ben-Ari concluded that, most likely, decontextualized schooling will continue to be a fundamental method of computer science education (Ben-Ari, 2004), since, in particular, in this high-technology world, "a newcomer must have a significant amount of basic and background knowledge before entering into meaningful participation in technological communities of practice" (Ben-Ari, 2003). Based on these considerations, we believe that students should learn fundamentals along with getting acquainted with enrichment advanced topics. The traditional style of teaching/learning in school is usually designed so that students can acquire explicit knowledge based on a thorough understanding of the topic learned. However, this approach alone might fail to educate the students to become self-learners who are capable of navigating in the rapidly growing world of knowledge (Computing Research Association, 2005; Long & Ehrmann, 2005; Passig, 2001). Hence, we suggest that students be taught to employ a breadth-oriented, "tasting"-based learning style. The Software Engineering 2004 Curriculum states that incorporating real-world elements into the curriculum is necessary to enable effective learning of software engineering skills and concepts (ACM/IEEE Joint Task Force on Computing Curricula [ACM/IEEE], 2004). …

Abstract: This paper is a collection of reflections on some of the curricular decisions made in Software Engineering 2004, the Software Engineering volume of the Computing Curricula 2001 project. We briefly describe the contents of the Volume and the process used in developing the Volume's guidelines. We then look in more detail at the rationale behind some of the more controversial decisions made. We conclude with how we expect the Volume to be used in practice.