A Inquiry-Based Pedagogy and Supporting Tool to Improve Student Learning of Software Testing Concepts

基于探究的教学法和支持工具，以提高学生对软件测试概念的学习

• 批准号: 2013296
• 负责人: Jeffrey Carver
• 金额: $ 40.32万
• 依托单位: University of Alabama Tuscaloosa
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2020
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2020-10-01 至 2024-09-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2013296&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Inquiry; Based; Pedagogy; Supporting; Tool

This project aims to serve the national interest by improving undergraduate learning of software testing concepts. Software testing is a critical skill that computer science students must acquire to be successful software designers. Well-tested software has higher quality and is easier to use. This project aims to improve teaching of software testing, using an approach that enables students to construct and reconstruct their own knowledge. Rather than just providing students with feedback about testing errors, the tool will use an inquiry-based approach to guide student learning. It is expected that this approach will help students learn fundamental concepts about testing in a way that enables them to transfer their knowledge to future software development activities, including in their professional careers. The overall goals of the project include to: increase undergraduate computer science student learning regarding software testing; improve the overall programming skills of computer science students; and provide instructors with an approach that integrates well into existing classroom structures. To address the goals stated above, the project will develop an online tool, the Software Testing Tutor, as well as pedagogy to increase student learning about software testing. The tool will analyze student solutions to identify the underlying concepts with which a student needs more practice. It will then provide students with suggestions to help them initiate their own learning process about those concepts. The Software Testing Tutor will provide two interaction modes: Learning Mode and Development Mode. In Learning Mode, it will coach a student on how to develop a complete test suite for a reference program implementation. In Development Mode, it will help a student develop a complete test suite for newly written code. The Software Testing Tutor will use a combination of instructor test cases annotated with the fundamental concepts exercised by the case and reference implementations of the programs. Instructors can select resources to implement in their course from the repository project-developed cases or develop their own annotated test cases. The project will use surveys and interviews of students and faculty to study improvements in student learning, explore the most appropriate scaffolding for different class levels, and study how to integrate the pedagogy into existing curricula. The expected contributions of this project include: (1) an increase in student learning about software testing; (2) improved student programming skills; (3) increased student engagement with the inquiry-based learning embedded in the Testing Tutor pedagogy; and (4) positive student and instructor experiences using Software Testing Tutor. This project is supported by the NSF Improving Undergraduate STEM Education: Education and Human Resources Program, which supports research and development projects to improve the effectiveness of STEM education for all students. Through the Engaged Student Learning track, the program supports the creation, exploration, and implementation of promising practices and tools.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

该项目旨在通过改善本科生对软件测试概念的学习来服务于国家利益。软件测试是计算机科学专业的学生成为成功的软件设计师所必须掌握的一项关键技能。经过良好测试的软件质量更高，更易于使用。本项目旨在改进软件测试的教学，采用一种使学生能够构建和重构自己知识的方法。该工具不仅为学生提供有关测试错误的反馈，还将使用基于探究的方法来指导学生学习。预计这种方法将帮助学生学习有关测试的基本概念，使他们能够将知识转移到未来的软件开发活动中，包括他们的职业生涯。该项目的总体目标包括：增加本科计算机科学学生学习有关软件测试;提高计算机科学学生的整体编程技能;并为教师提供一种很好地融入现有课堂结构的方法。为了实现上述目标，该项目将开发一个在线工具，软件测试导师，以及教学法，以增加学生对软件测试的学习。该工具将分析学生的解决方案，以确定学生需要更多实践的基本概念。然后，它将为学生提供建议，以帮助他们开始自己的学习过程中对这些概念。软件测试导师将提供两种互动模式：学习模式和开发模式。在学习模式中，它将指导学生如何为参考程序实现开发一个完整的测试套件。在开发模式中，它将帮助学生为新编写的代码开发一个完整的测试套件。软件测试导师将使用一组教师测试案例，这些案例注释了案例和程序参考实现所运用的基本概念。教师可以从资源库项目开发的案例中选择要在课程中实现的资源，或者开发他们自己的带注释的测试案例。该项目将通过对学生和教师的调查和访谈来研究学生学习的改进，探索不同班级最合适的支架，并研究如何将教学法融入现有课程。该项目的预期贡献包括：（1）增加学生对软件测试的学习;（2）提高学生的编程技能;（3）增加学生对嵌入在测试导师教学法中的基于探究的学习的参与;以及（4）积极的学生和教师使用软件测试导师的经验。该项目由NSF改善本科STEM教育：教育和人力资源计划支持，该计划支持研究和开发项目，以提高所有学生STEM教育的有效性。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

项目成果

A Comparison of Inquiry-Based Conceptual Feedback vs. Traditional Detailed Feedback Mechanisms in Software Testing Education: An Empirical Investigation

软件测试教育中基于探究的概念反馈与传统详细反馈机制的比较：实证研究

• DOI: 10.1145/3408877.3432417
• 发表时间: 2021
• 期刊: Proceedings of the 52nd ACM Technical Symposium on Computer Science Education
• 作者: Cordova, Lucas;Carver, Jeffrey;Gershmel, Noah;Walia, Gursimran
• 通讯作者: Walia, Gursimran