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软件测试概念的本科学习来满足国家利益。软件测试是计算机科学学生必须获得的一项至关重要的技能，才能成为成功的软件设计师。经过良好测试的软件具有更高的质量，并且更易于使用。该项目旨在使用一种方法来改善软件测试的教学，该方法使学生能够构建和重建自己的知识。该工具不仅会为学生提供有关测试错误的反馈，还将使用基于查询的方法来指导学生学习。可以预期，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，包括在职业职业中。该项目的总体目标包括：增加本科计算机科学学生有关软件测试的学习；提高计算机科学专业学生的整体编程技能；并为讲师提供一种很好地集成到现有课堂结构中的方法。为了解决上述目标，该项目将开发在线工具，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，以帮助他们启动有关这些概念的学习过程。软件测试导师将提供两种交互模式：学习模式和开发模式。在学习模式下，它将指导学生如何为参考程序实施开发完整的测试套件。在开发模式下，它将有助于学生为新书面代码开发完整的测试套件。软件测试导师将结合注释的讲师测试案例，以及该案例行使的基本概念和程序的参考实现。讲师可以从存储库项目开发的案例中选择在其课程中实施的资源或开发自己的带注释的测试用例。该项目将使用学生和教师的调查和访谈来研究学生学习的改进，探索不同班级水平的最合适的脚手架，并研究如何将教学法整合到现有课程中。该项目的预期贡献包括：（1）学生学习软件测试的增加； （2）提高学生编程技能； （3）增加了学生参与测试导师教学法中的基于询问的学习； （4）使用软件测试导师进行积极的学生和讲师体验。 NSF改善了本科STEM教育：教育和人力资源计划，该项目支持研发项目，以提高所有学生STEM教育的有效性。通过参与的学生学习轨道，该计划支持有希望的实践和工具的创建，探索和实施。该奖项反映了NSF的法定任务，并被认为是值得通过基金会的知识分子优点和更广泛的影响评估的评估来支持的。

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