Project-Based Learning para acelerar a (Re)Qualificação de licenciados para a área de Informática

The challenge Qualify 100 graduates with a STEM background to have a career in software development To promote their fast integration in IT companies Past experience Acertar o Rumo programme Partnership between Critical Software and U. Coimbra 4 editions 22 students/edition Over 90% success rate

The team Iniciativa Competências Digitais (INCoDe.2030) – Government of Portugal Porto Tech Hub An interest group of several large national and multinational IT companies ISEP – Porto Polytechnic School of Engineering Member of the CDIO Initiative since 2008 CDIO was created by MIT, Chalmers, KTH, Linköping around 2002 Today includes over 130 leading engineering schools all over the world (cdio.org) Over 10 EUR-ACE accredited programmes The Informatics Engineering Master is pending ABET accreditation (July 2017)

Goals defined by Porto Tech Hub To make a graduate with a STEM background to be able to: Understand and apply an iterative and incremental/agile software development process Analyse the requirements of a problem presented by a client and, as a team, specify a solution Design the solution using appropriate architectural and design patterns Implement the solution in Java/JavaScript using Test Driven Development (TDD) and Continuous Integration (CI) Know and apply the essential technologies and best practices to be productive in a OO (Java) or web development team using CI

The SWitCH approach Switch combines A one-year intensive hands-on programme (60 ECTS) A one-year paid internship in a IT company It is aimed at higher education graduates without a job or that want to switch careers (underemployed) Careful selection of candidate by a specialized HR company It is auto-financed Students pay the real cost of the programme The companies providing the internships pay a salary to the interns The salary is the national reference value of an internship for a BSc – 750€/month

The SWitCH programme In order to fulfil this objective 1 school year (32 weeks of classes) A MVP* approach, focusing on the minimum content necessary for the students to be successful in the typical professional environment A transdisciplinary pedagogical approach based on project based learning A semi-professional work environment based on teamwork, peer-learning and Scrum IT companies active involvement as Product Owners Focused and intensive: 35 hours/week MVP – Minimum Viable Product

Pedagogical approach We call it CDIO-IL and it is a transdisciplinary approach combining Disciplinary teaching (33%) Lectures and “regular” lab classes Project Based Learning (67%) Project development in a team of 8 to 11 elements Scrum software development process (2-weeks sprints) Project is supplied by a real software company (product owner) Global backlog of user stories and sprints’ backlogs adapted to the learning process’ needs

Pedagogical approach (II) How can it be so fast and effective? By the careful application of selected active learning pedagogical patterns and project based learning Learn by example Providing solutions upfront help the student scaffolding knowledge Learn by doing/Experiential Learning (Kolb) All work is to be produced in the context of the project, including in regular classes The immediate application of new knowledge in a real complex context helps the students cement the knowledge and learn more effectively (Reflective Observation – Kolb)

Pedagogical approach (III) How can it be so fast and effective? Teamwork and Peer-learning Provides a first support network and helps the student consolidate learning Feedback The teacher’s main role is to provide quality feedback, promoting rework and improvement Focus on quality of work done Grades reflect quality (below standards, met the standards, noteworthy) Deliveries that don’t meet the requirements and minimum quality standards are not accepted and may have to be redone in the following sprint

Transdisciplinary approach 3 simultaneous courses each semester 1 core software engineering and programming course 1 technical course covering key supporting technologies and competencies 1 project course to develop a product for a client All work is done in the context of the project There are several competence and knowledge areas Each user story is awarded effort points in the C&K areas By the end of the semester, a student must fulfil a predefined minimum of effort points in each area There is only a global grade (weighted average of the work in the areas)

Programme structure 1st semester 2nd semester Iterative agile software development Computing systems and networks Databases Project I 2nd semester Component-based programming & SOA DevOps Project II

Angelo Martins amm@isep.ipp.pt angelo.martins@inesctec.pt Thank you! Angelo Martins amm@isep.ipp.pt angelo.martins@inesctec.pt