Experiences with Open Source Software Engineering Tools

For software engineering (SE) and computer science (CS) programs to deliver on their promises, they must go beyond teaching students about principles, processes, models, and strategies and offer them realistic, practical experience as well. Although industry has been pressing to increase the emphasis on practical aspects, many CS programs continue to give students relatively simple problems focused on selected computing and software concepts and theories. Open source software offers CS and SE educators an opportunity to give their students practical, hands-on software engineering experience

CS and SE Education Challenges

Most CS graduates start their careers as software developers. Clearly, industry values highly the knowledge and out-of-the-box thinking skills of CS graduates. However, most companies also want programs to better emphasize the hands-on aspects of proven industry practices in software development and engineering management. Such industry needs have not gone unnoticed by universities and colleges. Increasingly, these institutions recognize that practical aspects of CS education and training can't simply be by-products of scholarly activities; students need specific applied knowledge and skills.