Blogging as an Effective Tool in Teaching and Learning Software Systems Development

Zenon Chaczko[1], Venkatesh Mahadevan[2], Emil Wajs-Chaczko[3]

ICT Group, Faculty of Engineering, University of TechnologySydney

NSW 2007 Australia

May 19 – 22, 2005Sydney

The BlogTalk Downunder Conference

Abstract - This paper outlines the strategic framework for applications of new blogging strategies and tools significantly enriched with cognitive, conative and emotive dimensions that can be used for effective teaching and learning of Software Systems Development (SSD) in large groups. Additionally, we provide features included in blogs as an invaluable source for monitoring and assessing the progress of the SSD subject. We focus on asupport environment of specialisedblogging tools used and comments on shared experiences in the implementation of blogging methods in the SSD subject over the last year at University of Technology,Sydney, Australia. Next, we review and assess the proposed blogs methodology for information processing as well as for subject evaluation. Then we discuss the successes ofblogging,as well as the most common problems (both anticipated and experienced) inherent in using this tool.Finally, we present our knowledge, observations, comments and recommendations for the enhanced use of blogging,in aprocess of continuous improvement of teaching and learning of SSD.

Index Terms–Blogs, Blogging, Cognitive, Conative and Emotive Aspects of Teaching and Learning, Software Systems Analysis, Software Systems Development.

INTRODUCTION

In recent years many university students have become very fond of writing and reading web log (termed blogs). An estimated 1.3 million sites identified in various research as blogs, reveals the popularity of this phenomenonOne of the most common reasons for the ever increasing popularity of blogs is the anonymity and ease at which internet users can express and exchange their individual opinions on current political, social, educational or private issues. This is mainly because blogs become separate zones of cyberspace in which cybernauts can creatively publish, share and exchange theirs thoughts, feelings, opinions and information. There is also an increasing trend to utilise blogs as components of business Recent studies have however, demonstrated that the majority of web logs are not of the “topical” domain nature but more are inherently personal and used as objects of self-expression rather than self-realisation. Aminority of blogshave also has struck a controversial stance with media heavy-weights (Lasica, 2003); blogging has now become a threat to the modern media platform, with media giants no longer the agents of mediation of news events in many instances (Reynolds, 2003). This includes the people involved in the teaching and learning process of subjects such as Software Systems and Development (SSD). This may be due to the reason that bloggers subvert higher education’s lofty aims with their disregard for tradition and protocol, hierarchy and even intellectual property. And worse yet, bloggers often write about their chosen medium with such unabashed enthusiasm, that there hovers about the blogging world the scent of the zealot’s evangelism [Barbara Ganley, 2004]. It was anticipated that blogging quality, modes and level of participation of students enrolled in subject would vary, yet study of socio-psychology of internet, mechanisms of effective sharing of information and opinions between peers in support of teaching a technological subject had a strong appeal to both internet users and educators. It was during these early stages of this analysis, we realised that the content of blogs is often rich in elements that could be used to assess and improve the process of teaching and learning in SSD. This has prompted and motivated us to use blogging techniques and tools to improve cognitive, conative and emotive (CCE) aspects of teaching and learning as well as a tool for the Software System Development (SSD) subject evaluation and student feedback.

The aim of this research paper is to investigate and report on our experiences at University of Technology Sydney (UTS), in applying innovative strategies of blogging in teaching large groups complex software system development. However, a secondary aim is to evaluate the outcome of students’ experiences with a blogging based reflective process at each phase of the subject, to improve the learning and teaching strategies. This includes the observations being derived from blogs related to the content of project packages, students’ perception of usability of software tools and technologies, group presentations of the implemented complex systems, exit interviews, product demonstrations, group-project coursework, discussions on student evaluation and feedback from project stakeholders. Finally, we conclude this paperwith a range of future research and development topics related to blogging techniques and tools as tangible evidence of cognitive processes used in SSD.

THE REVOLUTION OF SOFTWARE SYSTEMS DEVELOPMENT AT UTS

The SSD subject at UTS is designed in such a way that, upon completion, students should be able to demonstrate competencyin the following areas:

  • Setting up a software development project and managing its outcomes
  • Choosing representations for a software design inside greenfields or legacy systems
  • Applying standards and tailoring mechanisms, dependent on the project size and complexity
  • Knowing when deliverables are of sufficient quality, especially with respect to correctness (not necessarily completeness) and coherence to the major stakeholders
  • Organizing a moderately sized software development project, in a team – team building
  • Understanding software design and development concepts
  • Ongoing development of critical and independent thinking
  • Being able to function within a software development group
  • An understanding of personal responsibility within the software development process
  • An understanding of confidently presenting original material to an audience with wide-ranging interests
  • An appreciation of the need for and value of critical reflection in one's academic, personal and professional life.

The subject organises students into groups who undertake to complete a project started within a previous subject of Software System Analysis (SSA). The combination of the adapted blogging/activity focus method and spiral process model for teaching and learning SSA and SSD is shown in Figure1. SSA introduces methods, paradigms, tools, technologies, design concepts and introduces group participation and individual development. The role of the instructor in SSA is that of teacher, customer and project facilitator or project leader. In SSD we adopt a more laissez-faire and "constructivist" approach [27], [5] where knowledge emerges as a result of working group activities. In the SSA/SSD projects context, learning is seen as a developmental process firstly occurring between people (in socio-cognitive domain) and later within an individual (in an intra-personal domain). We recognize that teaching and learning in SSA/SSD is to remain a constructive activity that requires dynamic reorganization of existing concepts, methods, approaches, projects needs. This is reflected by the fact the students are expected to form and manage their own groups, adopt their own methods, processes (based on their training received in SSA) and paradigms. In fact, they take total control and responsibility for their own learning. The only compulsory criterion is that participants are required to deliver a quality product on schedule, within budget and with due process as defined by the project size and complexity. The role of the instructor in SSD is principally that of a customer, tempered by assisting an optimal individual effect. The project development strategies that underpin teaching and learning processes adopted in SSA/SSD subjects synthesize on the combined best practice methodologies [24].

FIGURE 1

BLOGGING/ACTIVITY FOCUS METHOD VS. SPIRAL PROCESS MODEL FOR TEACHING AND LEARNING SSA/SSD

The subject is facilitated by a software system engineering team consisting of a coordinator, lecturer and tutor whose responsibilities include facilitating lectures, tutorials, laboratories, workshops and seminars, and conflict resolution for any difficulties that may arise from the group activities. Assessment consists of two major assignments as described above for group work, engineering logs for individual assessment and a bonus of up to 5 per cent for individual presentation of a researched or assigned topic. In the event of problems within the project development and group assessment being compromised, an exit interview for each individual or the entire team shall be applied at the discretion of the coordinator.

BLOGGING AS A PROFESSIONAL TEACHING AND LEARNING PRACTICE

In the implementation of blogging techniques in the SSD educational process, blogshave become viewed, essentially, as best practice methodologies. This is due to the reason that they are almost invariably and mutually guided by their individual concepts. Thus, blogging canbe viewed both as an extension of instructional setting and as the next phase of teaching and learning of SSD. We describe these proposed blogging methods,as applied in the teaching and learning of SSD framework model, as combining not only the best practice methodology in aspects of software engineering standards but also in domains of CCE psychology, pedagogy, project management and economics.

A typical example of use of blogging as a tool for teaching and learning SSD in large groups is shown in Figure 2. This is the modified model of IEEE learning technology standards committee.

FIGURE 2

BLOGGING AS A TOOL FOR TEACHING AND LEARNING SSD

A better understanding of the components of the above SSD framework model is found to be extremely important in the recommended use of efficient blogging techniques.Thus SSD utilisingnew blogging techniques would provide large groups of students in SSD, an exciting and appealing opportunity to speculate, interact, network and to share their explicit knowledge. This forms a basis for an enhanced level of knowledge management within the context of SSD whilst utilising those techniques. For this reason, the vision of the blogging now requires the rigorous approach of modification and better utilisation of existing techniques, which could be pervasive without being intrusive.

TABLE 1

CCE DIMENSIONS FOR SSD

Teaching and Learning Domains Cognitive Conative Emotional

Learner Entity Knowing Desire Feeling

Action Voluntary Action Response/Feedback

Perceiving Volition Comfortness

Conceiving Attitude Pleasure

Experiencing Behaviour Dominance

Teacher Helpful Satisfaction Approachable

Flexible Communication Understandable

Trustworthy Commitment Alertness

Reliable Clear and impartial obliging

Consciousness Lively/Pleasant Humble

One such enhancement would have the basic components incorporated (such as content management, management of critical reflective teaching and learning methodologies etc as shown in Figure 2) by embedding the concept of blogging into the services, activities and practices within SSD not just for comparison, consolidation and manipulation of information but for knowledge management. However, knowledge management becomes trivial whilst handling and managing the issues arise by SSD processes. Without factual and accurate understanding on some of those dimensions of CCE aspects of SSD teaching and learning, it would not be possible to derive a clear roadmap for blogging support on how to proceed further as shown in Table 1.

The CCE dimensions that are incorporated into SSD outcomes include the mandatory project aspects of the project’s background study, problem scope, definition and analysis, critical thinking which involves reflective exercises and self-assessment, identification of stakeholders, and interactive decision making involving all stakeholders. This is supported by students making choices (tailoring) of effective engineering standards, processes, technologies and tools, discussing and presenting several options that might be considered for architectural/system design and then selecting the best solution according to earlier defined and reviewed criteria. It needs to be to stressed here that the pedagogical aim is not just about discussing and "covering" a variety of software systems development issues but integrating software systems knowledge, methodologies, economics, etc. throughout the SSD curriculum.

Due to the constant regeneration and redefinition of SSD specific blogging concept, there is yet to evolve an emergent SSD paradigm based on heuristics (such as usability, maintainability, modifiability and extensibility etc) that would emerge from a number of issues of concern in the Educational Intelligence (EI) pre-planning phase of teaching and learning institutions. Initially, we outlined the use of a General System Theory (GST) and General System Methodology (GSM) with the implementation of those heuristics in the critical areas of people, blogging processes and SSD integration control (Callaos.N, 2003).

A STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK FOR SSD SPECIFIC BLOGGING

This gave rise to development of a new conjoined incremental and decremental emergent SSD paradigm that is adaptive in nature. This model structured our ideas in an easily understood and interpretable format for the use of stakeholders both internally and externally. It includes developing a set of co-evolutionary loops for blogging process and SSD integration control by reiterating the user experience as a

FIGURE 3

A STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK FOR SSD SPECIFIC BLOGGING

central notion. Next, we develop four major reinforcement decision points to pilot the use of the proposed paradigm shift through identification of articulating forces such as direct, react, pro-act and instantaneous.

Figure 3 shows one such proposed emergent paradigm of SSD for implementing the innovative use of the above mentioned heuristics from the view points of collaborative people, blogging process, and SSD integration. In the realm of high level uncertainty forces involved in the actual teaching and learning of SSD,it is expected that the integration of those heuristics performs a major incremental step at the methodological level. The application of analogical thinking, for making methodological decisions that are more specific and diversified without leveraging the SDLC (Software Development Life Cycle) values of SSD for producing co-evolutionary loops in the intentional and dynamic contexts of blogging, is central to this notion.

The incremental steps involving analogical thinking and acting are dynamically related, with reciprocal dynamic nonlinear loopsforming. Based on the analyses of intrinsic mutations, the inbound pressures would be identified that could propel the co-evolutionary process of SSD specific blogging. Analysis of extrinsic mutations would enable us to identify the outbound pressures either for provoking or pro-evoking the SSD to adapt in a better way within the proposed emergent paradigm. However, identification of relevant inbound/outbound blogging pressures, and critical response activities of stakeholders and their interdependence involved in the people and blogging process domain forms a basic shift towards compatible paradigms in the provinces of tradeoffs in making SSD decisions. This happens through the formation of a co-evolutionary loop for blogging effectiveness.

It is also shown in Figure 3 that, the formation of the co-evolutionary loop of SSD integration control needs a further study of market demand and technology availability in this context. These combined forces could take place simultaneously, as part of the evolutionary characteristics along with the considerations of people in theblogging process. In addition, they would accommodate the proposed emergent SSD paradigm with identification of decision points. These decision points either to propel/direct conjointly for adaptive evolutionary SSD paradigm (with praxiological and epistemological values) or to re-act (modification of blogging itself) and pro-act (modifies the SSD environment). It is also equally important to note that these co-evolutionary loops have both mutual relationships and multiplicative effects in the formation of an evolutionary SSD paradigm. This comes with a degree of criticality analysis of the hallmarks of SSD specific blogging based on induction/deduction techniques.

The hall marks or main distinguishing characteristics of use of blogging process in SSD may be listed as based on their:Usefulness, Carefulness, Scrupulousness, Degree of Exactitude, Testability, Credibility, Repeatability, Preciseness, Confidentiality, Comparability, Objectivity, Subjectivity, Generalisability, Simplicity, Parsimony.

However, in the management of blogging enhanced SSD areas, it is not always possible to assess and review, unlike in the traditional project management areas. This is mainly due to the fact that the outcomes expected will not be exact or error-free. This is primarily because analysis and measurement of CCE dimensions might encounter the blogging enhanced SSD paradigm with many difficulties. For an example, it is always not possible to meet the hallmarks such as comparability, consistency and wide generalisability whilst utilising the blogging process in SSD. The unintended consequences of these hallmarks could lead to the review of hypothetic-deductive method chosen for a SSD specific problem area. A timely realisation of the value of the proposed strategic framework would enable the stakeholders to understand and readily accept the need for good blogging. This in turn would offer numerous opportunities for the stakeholders to effectively solve complex blogging integration problems encountered during the SSD. The facilitators would also realise the choices and trade-offs among the various criteria of this investigation to obtain valid outcomes for enhanced SSD.

THE FEATURES OF SSD SPECIFICBLOGGING

Teaching and learning in SSD follows the selection and implementation of blogging techniques in various scenarios within the proposed strategic framework. Careful and balanced selection and implementation of those techniques in various changing roles allows students, as well as lecturers, tutors and other participants, to have a conceptual growth and a deeper understanding of the topics, which will last over an extended period of time (possibly through their professional lifetime). Such methodology is to encompass both context (experience, knowledge, environment, application) and content (didactic units, composite didactic units, sequence, steps, implementations). We hold a firm belief that the proposed framework would assist us to create conceptual toolkits for blogging that both teachers and students will be able to apply in order to improve the execution of subsequent subjects, lectures, tutorials, etc.