Supporting Instructional Software Engineering Activities Using CODILA: Some Latin American Experiences

Abstract

Computer science students must be able to support the global software development phenomena; therefore they should enhance their teamwork, communication, negotiation, leadership and collaboration skills. It pushes the educational institutions to rethink the way in which they are transferring the soft skills, e.g. collaboration capabilities, to the new software engineers. Advances in developing platforms, wideband communications, global markets, technological trends and outsourcing promote the conception of a global software engineering. Trying to help address this issue, this paper describes the results of two experiences where a CODILA (Collaborative and Distributed Learning Activity) was used to solve a software engineering problem in a distributed way. These experiences involved students and instructors of eight Latin American universities. We have measured the development of collaboration skills and satisfaction level of computer science students participating in these distributed collaborative practices, and the obtained results are highly encouraging.