Engineering the learning processes as a new teaching approach in computer science: A case study

It is recognised that in teaching computer science subjects, assignments should provide team projects. When students work together on a project they can better learn and understand the real problems commonly met in both software and IT development processes, where human factors are critical variables, and learn to apply well-known software/IT engineering techniques. This paper presents a study, which is based on the experience of the author in teaching and supervision of team projects in software engineering. The prime purpose of this work is to show that traditional teaching approaches to project supervision can be improved by stressing the importance of the capability and compatibility aspects of the lecturer-student relationship developed while teaching software engineering. The secondary purpose of this study is to illustrate the need to engineer the learning processes necessary for the successful completion of projects and to prove the potential of this approach for improving teaching and learning processes.