CASE tool learnability in a software engineering course

CASE tool learnability is analyzed within the settings of lab sessions associated with an undergraduate software engineering course. The organization of the lab is presented, together with the impact of CASE tool learnability on software development exercises. CASE tool learnability affects the breadth and depth of students' exercises because of the time limitations of the lab sessions. Experienced functionality, determined by the number of functions that have to be exercised by the students versus those available in the tool, is a key aspect of learnability. Students are considered novice users of tools, and their learning time is considered an external indicator of CASE tool learnability.