The role of a project-based capstone course

ABSTRACT

A project-based capstone course aims at using software development skills while performing a project in the course domain. One of our main challenges is to simulate a real world environment so to provide our students with the experience they need. Planning this experience we should consider academic constraints as well as the students' schedule and skills. In this paper we describe how we implement an agile software development method in a project-based capstone course in the domain of operating systems. We elaborate on how we simulate a real world environment and present a role scheme that is used by the students to manage the process. We suggest a discussion on how to use the role scheme as an assessment tool to measure the development process in general and students' contribution in particular. We expect to extend and refine the comprehension regarding process measurement in students' teams at the academia.

REFERENCES

• 1: Kent Beck, Extreme programming explained: embrace change, Addison-Wesley Longman Publishing Co., Inc., Boston, MA, 1999
• 2: Dubinsky Y. and Hazzan O. (2004). Roles in agile software development teams, 5th International Conf. on eXtreme Programming and Agile Processes in Software Engineering.
• 3: Kevin Pulford , Annie Kuntzmann-Combelles , Stephen Shirlaw, A quantitative approach to software management: the AMI handbook, Addison-Wesley Longman Publishing Co., Inc., Boston, MA, 1995
• 4: Putnam, L.H. and Myers, W. (1997). Industrial Strength Software -- Effective Management Using Measurement, IEEE Computer Society Press.

INDEX TERMS

Primary Classification:
  D. Software
  D.2 SOFTWARE ENGINEERING
      D.2.9 Management
          Subjects: Programming teams

Additional Classification:
  D. Software
  D.2 SOFTWARE ENGINEERING
      D.2.8 Metrics
          Subjects: Process metrics
      D.2.9 Management
          Subjects: Productivity

  K. Computing Milieux
  K.3 COMPUTERS AND EDUCATION
      K.3.2 Computer and Information Science Education
          Subjects: Computer science education

General Terms:
Human Factors, Management, Measurement

Keywords:
project metrics, project-based course, roles scheme