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Using iterative enhancement in undergraduate software engineering courses

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Published:01 March 1996Publication History
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Abstract

Many software development courses include both instruction in formal and informal techniques and application of those techniques on a team project. In teaching such a course, a dilemma arises in trying to present material in sufficient detail before students must apply the material in their projects. The students are not comfortable with a technique before they must use it. If the project is moved later in the course, the students do not have enough time to tackle a problem that is big enough to require many of the software development techniques. There must be a better approach to teaching the course without separating the material into two courses or dividing the course over two terms.This paper describes an iterative approach. Let the students develop an initial pass at the project using the techniques they know. Then, have them apply the techniques learned in this class to later iterations. They develop a reasonably large project and apply the techniques appropriately. In addition, they have an opportunity to modify and maintain their documents as they complete the project. This paper describes the approach, experiences using it, and what modifications might be useful.

References

  1. 1 V.R. Basili and A.J. Turner, "Iterative Enhancement: A Practical Technique for Software Development," IEEE Trans. on Software Engineering, Vol. 1, No. 4, December 1975, pp. 390-396.Google ScholarGoogle ScholarDigital LibraryDigital Library
  2. 2 F.P. Brooks, "No Silver Bullet: Essence and Accidents of Software Engineering,' IEEE Computer, Vol. 20, No. 4, April 1987, pp. 10-19. Google ScholarGoogle ScholarDigital LibraryDigital Library

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  1. Using iterative enhancement in undergraduate software engineering courses

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      • Published in

        cover image ACM SIGCSE Bulletin
        ACM SIGCSE Bulletin  Volume 28, Issue 1
        March 1996
        379 pages
        ISSN:0097-8418
        DOI:10.1145/236462
        Issue’s Table of Contents
        • cover image ACM Conferences
          SIGCSE '96: Proceedings of the twenty-seventh SIGCSE technical symposium on Computer science education
          March 1996
          447 pages
          ISBN:089791757X
          DOI:10.1145/236452

        Copyright © 1996 ACM

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        Association for Computing Machinery

        New York, NY, United States

        Publication History

        • Published: 1 March 1996

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