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M-SPLearning: A Software Product Line for Mobile Learning Applications

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UML-Based Software Product Line Engineering with SMarty

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Abstract

The advent of mobile devices in all social classes leads us to new possibilities of interaction, including in the educational context, where mobile learning (m-learning) applications have become powerful teaching and learning tools. Such applications, even having many benefits and facilities, also present problems and challenges, especially regarding their development, reuse, and architectural standardization. On the other hand, the adoption of the systematic reuse concept has been consolidated, making approaches such as software product lines (SPL) interesting alternatives for these gaps. This paradigm favors the abstraction of the similarities and variabilities of a domain and its products, promoting the reuse of core assets and, consequently, reducing the development time and cost (from the break-even point) of the generated solutions. Thus, to systematically explore the variabilities of m-learning applications domain, an SPL, called M-SPLearning, was proposed. First, we analyze the existing adoption models in the literature, allowing us to identify the most appropriate approach to the context of our SPL. Then, the main features of m-learning applications were defined with the support of a previously defined requirements catalog. As a result, the domain engineering and application engineering phases were conducted for M-SPLearning. In the context of domain engineering, the Stereotype-based Management of Variability (SMarty) approach was fundamental in the representation of similarities and variabilities with regard to architecture, components, and production plan, synthesizing the features of this domain through UML diagrams. Regarding application engineering, we present the dynamics of M-SPLearning’s operation, generating m-learning applications according to the selected variabilities through a web application, in other words, a user interface (UI) for the generation of products. Finally, M-SPLearning had its products experimentally evaluated in the context of a real software development company, providing statistical evidence that SPL can improve time-to-market and quality (measured by the number of bugs) in the domain of m-learning applications. Therefore, in this chapter, M-SPLearning is presented from the analysis and design phases to the generation of its products. In particular, we highlight the use of SMarty and its importance in M-SPLearning application engineering. In this sense, we discussed the importance of managing variability and how approaches such as SMarty can contribute to SPL design and demystify the adoption of this reuse strategy.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank CAPES/Brazil (PROCAD Grant number 071/2013) and FAPESP/Brazil (Grant number 2012/04053-9) for supporting this work.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Computer Systems, University of São Paulo, São Carlos, São Paulo, Brazil

    Venilton FalvoJr & Ellen F. Barbosa

  2. Engineering and Exact Science Department, Federal University of Paraná, Palotina, Paraná, Brazil

    Anderson S. Marcolino

  3. Federal Institute of Education, Science and Technology of São Paulo, Informatics Department, Sertãozinho, São Paulo, Brazil

    Nemésio F. DuarteFilho

  4. Informatics Department, State University of Maringá, Maringá, PR, Brazil

    Edson OliveiraJr

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  1. Venilton FalvoJr
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  4. Edson OliveiraJr
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Correspondence to Venilton FalvoJr .

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  1. Informatics Department, State University of Maringá, Maringá, Paraná, Brazil

    Edson OliveiraJr

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FalvoJr, V., Marcolino, A.S., DuarteFilho, N.F., OliveiraJr, E., Barbosa, E.F. (2023). M-SPLearning: A Software Product Line for Mobile Learning Applications. In: OliveiraJr, E. (eds) UML-Based Software Product Line Engineering with SMarty. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-18556-4_13

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-18556-4_13

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