Analysis and Classification of Problems Associated with Requirements Engineering Education: Towards an Integrated View

The discipline of requirements engineering (RE) is hard for students to understand and challenging for lecturers to teach due to its complex and theoretical nature. In the literature, researchers have presented a number of requirements engineering education (REE) problems in universities, as well as those RE problems in industry that can be addressed by providing REE at universities. The goal of this study was to systematically compile, review and analyse all REE problems presented in the literature so that it is possible to see the whole range of problems at once; we call this analysis and presentation of the entire range of problems ‘an integrated view of REE problems’. Altogether 13 relevant studies reporting on REE problems were selected. Of the identified problems, those related to similar issues were grouped together, the groups were then divided into categories depending on the nature of the problem, and finally relationships between the groups of problems were established and presented as a hierarchy. An integrated representation was then produced that provides specific information on REE problems, including groupings of similar problems, reported and investigated problems, problem categorisation, high-level dependency, and detailed dependencies. It was concluded that some problems have already been investigated by researchers while others have only been reported in the literature and still need to be investigated, so they are the hot research areas for future research in REE. It was also concluded that if RE problems in university curriculum are addressed, this may have a positive impact on solutions to RE problems in industrial practice.

[1]  David Callele,et al.  Teaching requirements engineering to an unsuspecting audience , 2006, SIGCSE.

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

[3]  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.

[4]  Lemai Nguyen,et al.  Understanding requirements engineering: a challenge for practice and education , 2002 .

[5]  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.

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

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

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

[9]  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).

[10]  Lemai Nguyen,et al.  School working papers series 2002, understanding requirements engineering: a challenge for practice and education , 2002 .

[11]  Jocelyn Armarego,et al.  Studio learning of requirements: towards aligning teaching to practitioner needs , 2005 .

[12]  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.

[13]  Olly Gotel,et al.  Using a Game to Introduce Lightweight Requirements Engineering , 2007, 15th IEEE International Requirements Engineering Conference (RE 2007).

[14]  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..

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

[16]  Tony Gorschek,et al.  Multi Perspective Requirements Engineering Education with Focus on Industry Relevance , 2005 .

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

[18]  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).

[19]  Alan M. Davis,et al.  Moving Beyond the Classroom : Integrating Requirements Engineering Research & Education to Improve Practice , 2005 .