MUSE studio lab and innovative software engineering capstone project experience

This paper presents our rationale in setting up an innovative studio lab called the MUSE (Monash University Software Engineering) Studio Lab for our final year undergraduate Software Engineering students in 2002, an evaluation of the outcomes for 2002 and plans for 2003 and beyond. We describe the Monash University Software Engineering (MUSE) Strategy to make the MUSE culture and MUSE agile process branding visible through the MUSE Studio Lab for the learners, academics, management and the outside world of academia and industry. This strategy is aimed at supporting a continuum of learning styles in three units in the final year of our Bachelor of Software Engineering Program. The teaching/learning model used is a predominantly constructivist/student-centered/active learning approach for the Capstone SE project (Studio unit), and a constructivist approach for the Honours Research thesis unit. A more traditional teaching approach is used for the Systems Validation, Verification, Quality & Standards unit based on traditional instructional design model which is objectivist in view of learning. We also provide details of the the middle weight process that student groups follow in their full year SE Capstone project. At MUSE Studio, we have fused pedagogy with technology.