View in EDS PDF Full Text

Involving Software Engineering Students in Open Source Software Projects: Experiences from a Pilot Study

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Title: Involving Software Engineering Students in Open Source Software Projects: Experiences from a Pilot Study
Language: English
Authors: Sowe, Sulayman K., Stamelos, Ioannis G.
Source: Journal of Information Systems Education. 2007 18(4):425-436.
Availability: Journal of Information Systems Education (JISE). c/o Al Harris, JISE Editor, Department of Computer Information Systems, Walker College of Business, Appalachian State University, Boone, NC 28608. Tel: 828-262-6180; Fax: 828-262-6190; e-mail: jise@appstate.edu; Web site: http://www.jise.appstate.edu/index.htm
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 12
Publication Date: 2007
Intended Audience: Teachers
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education
Postsecondary Education
Descriptors: Computer Software, Curriculum Development, Teaching Methods, College Instruction, Student Projects, Engineering Education, Foreign Countries, Computer Science Education, Computer Software Evaluation, Information Technology, Troubleshooting, Active Learning, College Students
Geographic Terms: Greece
ISSN: 1055-3096
Abstract: Anecdotal and research evidences show that the Free and Open Source Software (F/OSS) development model has produced a paradigm shift in the way we develop, support, and distribute software. This shift is not only redefining the software industry but also the way we teach and learn in our software engineering (SE) courses. But for many universities F/OSS is seen as an optional low cost technology to support the IT infrastructure and administrational duties. Few see F/OSS as an opportunity for students to learn the SE concepts and skills we teach. Furthermore, it is still an open question as to whether the F/OSS methodology can be effectively used to teach SE courses within the formally structured curriculum in most universities. This paper discusses F/OSS projects as "bazaars of learning" that offer a meaningful learning context. The discussion is centered on a pilot study in which students were involved in software testing in F/OSS projects. We present the teaching and learning framework we used in the pilot study and report on our experiences, lessons learned, and some practical problems we encountered. Our grading and evaluation approach show that the students did relatively well as bug hunters and reporters. Results from two online surveys indicate that students are motivated in participating in software testing in the bazaar, and they are willing to participate in project activities long after their graduation. The study reveals one possible way SE educators can teach and integrate F/OSS into their formal curricular structure. (Contains 3 tables and 10 figures.)
Abstractor: As Provided
Number of References: 26
Entry Date: 2009
Access URL: https://www.jise.appstate.edu/Issues/18/V18N4P425-abs.pdf
Accession Number: EJ832874
Database: ERIC
FullText Links:
  – Type: pdflink
    Url: https://content.ebscohost.com/cds/retrieve?content=AQICAHj0k_4E0hTGH8RJwT4gCJyBsGNe_WN95AvKlDbXJGqwxwHzPajyRR6n8ynmQtljsx5HAAAA4jCB3wYJKoZIhvcNAQcGoIHRMIHOAgEAMIHIBgkqhkiG9w0BBwEwHgYJYIZIAWUDBAEuMBEEDFa7zpZaWsxYZe93AAIBEICBmjxeeAKH7Plr-Uio14f1bgM1ikzd1NZW40EoLmkzvlbs_H20zUK2tXyEJQliXEXuM12n1b8pXDtVrymTx-U9TijfPsRdPQz5hQGJl34u_GHWluir3YfRM7sU6GRXH9UCBhrvnxepiL2BzhAbElN8L2lzEYlTW_xiz3NpyF43svZbC7KYOg1zdmJ6Tyq_qnevAP9XD5h4b4f2PoM=
Text:
  Availability: 0
Header DbId: eric
DbLabel: ERIC
An: EJ832874
AccessLevel: 3
PubType: Academic Journal
PubTypeId: academicJournal
PreciseRelevancyScore: 0
IllustrationInfo
Items – Name: Title
  Label: Title
  Group: Ti
  Data: Involving Software Engineering Students in Open Source Software Projects: Experiences from a Pilot Study
– Name: Language
  Label: Language
  Group: Lang
  Data: English
– Name: Author
  Label: Authors
  Group: Au
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Sowe%2C+Sulayman+K%2E%22">Sowe, Sulayman K.</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Stamelos%2C+Ioannis+G%2E%22">Stamelos, Ioannis G.</searchLink>
– Name: TitleSource
  Label: Source
  Group: Src
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Journal+of+Information+Systems+Education%22"><i>Journal of Information Systems Education</i></searchLink>. 2007 18(4):425-436.
– Name: Avail
  Label: Availability
  Group: Avail
  Data: Journal of Information Systems Education (JISE). c/o Al Harris, JISE Editor, Department of Computer Information Systems, Walker College of Business, Appalachian State University, Boone, NC 28608. Tel: 828-262-6180; Fax: 828-262-6190; e-mail: jise@appstate.edu; Web site: http://www.jise.appstate.edu/index.htm
– Name: PeerReviewed
  Label: Peer Reviewed
  Group: SrcInfo
  Data: Y
– Name: Pages
  Label: Page Count
  Group: Src
  Data: 12
– Name: DatePubCY
  Label: Publication Date
  Group: Date
  Data: 2007
– Name: Audience
  Label: Intended Audience
  Group: Audnce
  Data: Teachers
– Name: TypeDocument
  Label: Document Type
  Group: TypDoc
  Data: Journal Articles<br />Reports - Research
– Name: Audience
  Label: Education Level
  Group: Audnce
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Higher+Education%22">Higher Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Postsecondary+Education%22">Postsecondary Education</searchLink>
– Name: Subject
  Label: Descriptors
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Computer+Software%22">Computer Software</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Curriculum+Development%22">Curriculum Development</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Teaching+Methods%22">Teaching Methods</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22College+Instruction%22">College Instruction</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Student+Projects%22">Student Projects</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Engineering+Education%22">Engineering Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Foreign+Countries%22">Foreign Countries</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Computer+Science+Education%22">Computer Science Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Computer+Software+Evaluation%22">Computer Software Evaluation</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Information+Technology%22">Information Technology</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Troubleshooting%22">Troubleshooting</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Active+Learning%22">Active Learning</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22College+Students%22">College Students</searchLink>
– Name: Subject
  Label: Geographic Terms
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Greece%22">Greece</searchLink>
– Name: ISSN
  Label: ISSN
  Group: ISSN
  Data: 1055-3096
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: Anecdotal and research evidences show that the Free and Open Source Software (F/OSS) development model has produced a paradigm shift in the way we develop, support, and distribute software. This shift is not only redefining the software industry but also the way we teach and learn in our software engineering (SE) courses. But for many universities F/OSS is seen as an optional low cost technology to support the IT infrastructure and administrational duties. Few see F/OSS as an opportunity for students to learn the SE concepts and skills we teach. Furthermore, it is still an open question as to whether the F/OSS methodology can be effectively used to teach SE courses within the formally structured curriculum in most universities. This paper discusses F/OSS projects as "bazaars of learning" that offer a meaningful learning context. The discussion is centered on a pilot study in which students were involved in software testing in F/OSS projects. We present the teaching and learning framework we used in the pilot study and report on our experiences, lessons learned, and some practical problems we encountered. Our grading and evaluation approach show that the students did relatively well as bug hunters and reporters. Results from two online surveys indicate that students are motivated in participating in software testing in the bazaar, and they are willing to participate in project activities long after their graduation. The study reveals one possible way SE educators can teach and integrate F/OSS into their formal curricular structure. (Contains 3 tables and 10 figures.)
– Name: AbstractInfo
  Label: Abstractor
  Group: Ab
  Data: As Provided
– Name: Ref
  Label: Number of References
  Group: RefInfo
  Data: 26
– Name: DateEntry
  Label: Entry Date
  Group: Date
  Data: 2009
– Name: URL
  Label: Access URL
  Group: URL
  Data: <link linkTarget="URL" linkTerm="https://www.jise.appstate.edu/Issues/18/V18N4P425-abs.pdf" linkWindow="_blank">http://www.jise.appstate.edu/Issues/18/V18N4P425-abs.pdf</link>
– Name: AN
  Label: Accession Number
  Group: ID
  Data: EJ832874
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=eric&AN=EJ832874
RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Languages:
      – Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 12
        StartPage: 425
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Computer Software
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Curriculum Development
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Teaching Methods
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: College Instruction
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Student Projects
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Engineering Education
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Foreign Countries
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Computer Science Education
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Computer Software Evaluation
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Information Technology
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Troubleshooting
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Active Learning
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: College Students
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Greece
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Involving Software Engineering Students in Open Source Software Projects: Experiences from a Pilot Study
        Type: main
  BibRelationships:
    HasContributorRelationships:
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Sowe, Sulayman K.
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Stamelos, Ioannis G.
    IsPartOfRelationships:
      – BibEntity:
          Dates:
            – D: 01
              M: 01
              Type: published
              Y: 2007
          Identifiers:
            – Type: issn-print
              Value: 1055-3096
          Numbering:
            – Type: volume
              Value: 18
            – Type: issue
              Value: 4
          Titles:
            – TitleFull: Journal of Information Systems Education
              Type: main
ResultId 1