Bridging the Theory-Practice Gap in a Maintenance Programming Course: An Experience Report

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contribution

2 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

This paper presents our experience in teaching a maintenance programming course with the aim of bridging the gap between theory and practice, a recurring issue in previous course offerings. To achieve this goal, we implemented active learning strategies within an active learning classroom setting and redesigned the project work. Our approach involves peer learning and teamwork activities to cover various aspects of legacy code maintenance. For the project work, we adopted an open-ended approach that allowed students to choose their legacy code projects, which could be open-source software or a previous software project they had worked on. Analysis of students’ feedback and project reports highlighted the effectiveness of our approach in bridging the gap between theory and practice. We believe that our approach had the potential to enhance students’ engagement and critical thinking abilities, as well as improve practical maintenance skills relevant to their future careers.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationProceedings - 2024 ACM/IEEE 46th International Conference on Software Engineering
Subtitle of host publicationSoftware Engineering Education and Training, ICSE-SEET 2024
PublisherIEEE Computer Society
Pages359-367
Number of pages9
ISBN (Electronic)9798400704987
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Apr 14 2024
Event46th International Conference on Software Engineering: Software Engineering Education and Training, ICSE-SEET 2024 - Lisbon, Portugal
Duration: Apr 14 2024Apr 20 2024

Publication series

NameProceedings - International Conference on Software Engineering
ISSN (Print)0270-5257

Conference

Conference46th International Conference on Software Engineering: Software Engineering Education and Training, ICSE-SEET 2024
Country/TerritoryPortugal
CityLisbon
Period4/14/244/20/24

Keywords

  • Active Learning
  • Generative AI
  • Group Work
  • Open-ended Project
  • Software Engineering Education
  • Software Maintenance
  • Students Engagement

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Software

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Bridging the Theory-Practice Gap in a Maintenance Programming Course: An Experience Report'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this