Identifying research gaps in requirements engineering education: An analysis of a conceptual model and survey results

Requirements Engineering (RE), because of its theoretical nature and diversity of knowledge, has become the hardest stage of software development for students to learn and for lecturers to teach. Problems in Requirements Engineering Education (REE) have frequently been acknowledged and have been examined in several studies. These problems have been presented together with the results of analyses of them conducted from a conceptually integrated viewpoint (IV). In order to investigate lecturers' perceptions of the REE problems presented in IV, a questionnaire survey was conducted. An analysis of the survey results shows that almost all the contentions presented in IV can be supported. Lecturers perceive RE as an important course and require proper RE course outlines, efficient RE tools and case studies for teaching RE. Based on an analysis of conceptual IV and survey results, major gaps in REE research have been identified that need to be filled by RE researchers in the course of future REE research.

[1]  Ban Al-Ani,et al.  Role-playing, group work and other ambitious teaching methods in a large requirements engineering course , 2004, Proceedings. 11th IEEE International Conference and Workshop on the Engineering of Computer-Based Systems, 2004..

[2]  Rafia Naz Memon,et al.  Problems in requirements engineering education: a survey , 2010, FIT.

[3]  A. J. Downs.  The Hole in the Curriculum. , 1971 .

[4]  J. Paul Gibson.  Formal requirements engineering: learning from the students , 2000, Proceedings 2000 Australian Software Engineering Conference.

[5]  Klaas Sikkel,et al.  Mission 2 Solution: Requirements Engineering Education as a Central Theme in the BIT Programme , 2005 .

[6]  Alain Wegmann,et al.  Experiential learning approach for requirements engineering education , 2009, Requirements Engineering.

[7]  Orlena Gotel,et al.  RE-O-POLY : A Game to Introduce Lightweight Requirements Engineering Good Practices , 2007 .

[8]  Behrouz Homayoun Far,et al.  Combining requirements engineering techniques - theory and case study , 2005, 12th IEEE International Conference and Workshops on the Engineering of Computer-Based Systems (ECBS'05).

[9]  Anne Hoffmann.  Teaching Soft Facts in Requirements Engineering Using Improvisation Theatre Techniques , 2008, 2008 Third International Workshop on Multimedia and Enjoyable Requirements Engineering - Beyond Mere Descriptions and with More Fun and Games.

[10]  Anselm L. Strauss,et al.  Basics of qualitative research : techniques and procedures for developing grounded theory , 1998 .

[11]  Krassie Petrova,et al.  Bridging the Research-Practice Gap in Requirements Engineering through Effective Teaching and Peer Learning , 2009, 2009 Sixth International Conference on Information Technology: New Generations.

[12]  Nelly Condori-Fernández,et al.  An empirical comparative evaluation of requirements engineering methods , 2010, Journal of the Brazilian Computer Society.

[13]  Donald C. Gause,et al.  Teaching the Unknown and the Unknowable in Requirements Engineering Education , 2008, 2008 Requirements Engineering Education and Training.

[14]  Daniela Rosca.  An active/collaborative approach in teaching requirements engineering , 2000, 30th Annual Frontiers in Education Conference. Building on A Century of Progress in Engineering Education. Conference Proceedings (IEEE Cat. No.00CH37135).

[15]  Didar Zowghi.  Teaching Requirements Engineering to the Baháí Students in Iran who are Denied of Higher Education , 2009, 2009 Fourth International Workshop on Requirements Engineering Education and Training.

[16]  Ian Sommerville,et al.  Requirements Engineering: Processes and Techniques , 1998 .