Wurst (Proposal)

Summary

Developing syllabus, learning activities and materials for two Spring 2015 Computer Science courses - CS 348 Software Process Management and CS 401 - Software Development Process (to be replaced in the future by CS 448 Software Development Capstone and CS 443 Software Quality Assurance and Testing).

Target Venue

• CS 348 Software Process Management (Spring 2015)
  • Project management including planning, progress measurement, estimation, and risk assessment. Functional and non-functional requirements. Software licenses, contracts and intellectual property.
• CS 401 Software Development Process (being taught for the last time in Spring 2015, becoming CS 448 in Spring 2016 and some materials moving to CS 443 in Fall 2015)
  • This course deals with software as an engineered product that requires planning, analysis, design, implementation, testing and maintenance.
  • The material developed for this course will be re-distributed across the following courses after Spring 2015:
    • CS 443 Software Quality Assurance and Testing
      • Requirements analysis and test plan design. Testing strategies and techniques. Test coverage using statistical techniques. Code reviews and inspections.
    • CS 448 Software Development Capstone Concentration
      • Development of a significant software system, following appropriate project and team management techniques. Requirements, design, implementation, quality assurance, professional, social and ethical issues.

CS 401 is being offered for the last time in Spring 2015 as the last course in our old CS Major. It is intended to be a capstone project course, and has been used as a software project course after having had a course in software design.

This two-course sequence has been replaced by a four-course Software Development Concentration. Most of the topics in those two courses are being distributed through the first three courses and the capstone course being where the material is applied. So, most of the materials that I will be developing for CS 401 for Spring 2105 will be reused for CS 448 in Spring 2016 and beyond.

Target Student Audience

• CS 348 Software Process Management
  • Second Semester Junior, CS Majors in Software Development Concentration. Second course in the Software Development Concentration.
  • 24 students
• CS 401 Software Development Process (being taught for the last time in Spring 2015, becoming CS 448 (see below) in Spring 2016)
  • Second Semester Senior, CS Majors. Last course our old CS Major.
  • 24 Students
• CS 448 Software Development Capstone Concentration (will replace CS 401 starting in Spring 2016)
  • Second Semester Senior, CS Majors in Software Development Concentration. Final course in the Software Development Concentration.
  • 24 Students

Learning Activities

• CS 348 Software Process Management

• CS 401 Software Development Process (being taught for the last time in Spring 2015, becoming CS 448 (see below) in Spring 2016)
  • Some materials from this course will move to CS 343 Software Quality Assurance and Testing for Fall 2015
  • The remainder of the materials will move CS 448 Software Development Capstone for Spring 2016

• CS 343 Software Quality Assurance and Testing

• CS 448 Software Development Capstone (will replace CS 401 starting in Spring 2016)

< Provide a general description of the activities you plan to develop. How many activities will there be? What types? (labs, homework assignments, projects, etc.) What outcomes do you expect? What specific products will you have to share at the end? (lab instructions, grading rubrics, homework assignments, etc.) Note: we only expect basic information at this point since the activities are not developed yet.>

Evaluation

I will administer the software engineering version of your pre and post surveys. They are already approved by our campus' IRB through January 2015, and I can easily get a one-year extension on the approval.

All of the materials are being stored on GitHub as they are being developed. Most of the student work products will be posted publicly on the course wiki and student blogs.

Overall course evaluation (how well the materials worked and what should be changed for future uses) will take place on my blog, occasionally during the semester, and in detail in the summer once the course has ended.

Schedule

Both courses will be taught in Spring 2015. I have been developing syllabi, materials and learning activities in Fall 2014 while I on sabbatical. I will administer the pre survey in January 2015, and the post survey in May 2015. Materials will be shared as they are created through GitHub. Overall evaluation of the courses will take place over the summer in 2015, to prepare for revision of the materials for Spring 2016.

Budget

$3000 for development of course materials, $500 for travel to present results.

Contact Information

Karl R. Wurst, kwurst@worcester.edu