Experiences with an Interactive Video Code Inspection Laboratory

Software engineers need practical training in addition to classroom lectures in order to obtain the knowledge and skills necessary to succeed in industry. This training is provided by laboratories in other engineering disciplines. Such laboratories have been implemented as computer-based interactive video courses in the past, with numerous advantages. Based on this success, an interactive video course was created for use as a “code inspection laboratory”, in which the skills of preparing for and participating in code inspections are learned and practiced. This paper summarizes the anecdotal feedback and usage data from 120 students who used the course over the past two years. Lessons learned from these experiences are discussed, with implications for the development of future interactive video software engineering laboratories.