An adaptive delivery strategy for teaching software testing and maintenance

Abstract

Today's classroom and learner cohorts are supported by new and innovative technology in an unprecedented manner. The pace of technological advancements however does present challenges to educators in keeping abreast of the state of the art while concurrently facilitating a learner-certered approach. Topics within software engineering are especially susceptible to this phenomena and demands a more individualized adaptive model to support significant learning. Although there is an abundance of sound theoretical models which may address the challenge, the literature is sparse as to contextualization, application or concrete operation. Within a blended classroom, we have implemented an adaptive approach to address the pace of technology advancements with consideration for the skillsets and declarative knowledge of the learner. In this paper we present our approach within a software testing and maintenance course and discuss the lessons learnt. We have based our approach on the scientific grounding of Vygotsky's zone of proximal development and discuss the necessary scaffolding, inherent challenges and present an evaluation based on pre/post testing.