Teaching Software Testing Skills: Metamorphic Testing as Vehicle for Creativity and Effectiveness in Software Testing

In spite of its importance to software quality, software testing is often considered the "poor man" of software engineering processes, left to the end of many projects, and frequently omitted altogether. Compounding this is the reported perception of testing as a menial, low-level job, lacking any need for creativity or ingenuity, and of much lower status and attractiveness than others, such as design and implementation. When teaching about software testing, instructors often face very unmotivated students, professing little or no interest in becoming testers. This tutorial will address some testing misconceptions, and, through Metamorphic Testing - a new approach to testing which alleviates some of the major challenges in the field (including the Oracle Problem) - will provide a fresh and exciting new perspective on software testing.