Developing Students' Cognitive Processes Required for Software Design Verification

Computer Science undergraduates are expected to design software solutions and also verify that the design satisfies the intended requirements. The Ph.D. work discussed in this paper aims at designing and evaluating a learning environment to train computer science undergraduates to effectively verify properties of a software system design. Literature on expertise in software design has shown that experts create rich mental models of the software design on which they perform mental simulations. I propose a model-based learning strategy in order to foster the cognitive processes of mental modeling and mental simulation. I hypothesize that by triggering the cognitive processes of mental modeling and mental simulation, students will be able to perform design verification better. By the end of my doctoral research I expect the following contributions: 1) Understanding how the cognitive processes of mental modeling and mental simulation aid in software design verification. 2) Application of a model-based learning strategy and creation of a learning environment in order to foster these cognitive processes.