Generic framework design of Project-Oriented Problem-Based Learning (POPBL) for Software Engineering courses

Abstract

Integration of Project-Oriented Problem-Based Learning (POPBL) approach in Teaching and Learning (T&L) environment for Software Engineering (SE) courses promotes students personal abilities development in terms of technical and non-technical skills. Nevertheless, most existing POPBL implementations are basically targeted to single course, and not many are tailored to SE courses generically. Thus, it is important to have a generic framework with the potential of reusing the existing POPBL approach for wider and universal implementation in several SE courses. In this study, the designed POPBL framework involves three principles: i) cognitive learning, ii) collaborative approach and iii) content approach. Additionally, the POPBL framework consists of three stages: onset, execution and closure stages that are sequentially organized directly from planning, analysis, designing and implementation phases in software development. The designed POPBL framework is experimented and integrated into two relevant SE courses namely Programming Technique 1 (PT1) and System Analysis and Design (SAD). The instructors and learners' responses/feedbacks gathered from the survey are positive and promising. In overall, most of the learners agreed that the POPBL implementation in the taught courses improved their non-technical (communication, leader/peers with team working and planning) and their technical skills to creatively solve the real-world problems of the given application systems for the case study projects. From the instructor's point of view, adopting POPBL approach in T&L demands immense work, timely preparation and great participation especially in monitoring the team progress, as well as in giving fast feedbacks and suggestion for every submitted deliverables.