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Case-based instruction on the web for teaching software project management

Published:25 June 2007Publication History

ABSTRACT

Software project management (SPM) is an ill-structured domain, where past experiences of project management can become valuable learning resources for novices. To support instruction in the domain, we have developed the eCASE-SPM Web environment, for engaging students in case-based instruction and help them develop SPM related problem solving skills. This work presents major design issues of the environment and initial research results regarding (a) a student-based evaluation, connecting also students' attitudes to their learning styles, and (b) the learning effectiveness of the environment, investigating the use of embedded question prompts as students' cognitive scaffolds. Results so far reveal interesting interactions between students' learning styles and their attitudes towards learning in the eCASE-SPM environment. Furthermore, there is strong indication that using question prompts may have beneficial effect on students' learning and problem solving abilities, although fading out of the scaffolding should be implemented to moderate students' workload.

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              • Published in

                cover image ACM Conferences
                ITiCSE '07: Proceedings of the 12th annual SIGCSE conference on Innovation and technology in computer science education
                June 2007
                386 pages
                ISBN:9781595936103
                DOI:10.1145/1268784
                • cover image ACM SIGCSE Bulletin
                  ACM SIGCSE Bulletin  Volume 39, Issue 3
                  Proceedings of the 12th annual SIGCSE conference on Innovation and technology in computer science education (ITiCSE'07)
                  September 2007
                  366 pages
                  ISSN:0097-8418
                  DOI:10.1145/1269900
                  Issue’s Table of Contents

                Copyright © 2007 ACM

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                New York, NY, United States

                Publication History

                • Published: 25 June 2007

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                ITiCSE '07 Paper Acceptance Rate62of210submissions,30%Overall Acceptance Rate552of1,613submissions,34%

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