Characterizing communication instruction in computer science and engineering programs: Methods and applications

“Incorporating Communication Learning Outcomes Across the Computer Science (CS) and Software Engineering (SE) Curriculum” is an NSF-funded project that aims to identify the communication skills, specifically those involving reading, writing, speaking, and teaming, needed by CS and SE graduates and then determine how these skills can be taught within CS and SE curricula. This paper presents the results of our first two years of studying the programs at Miami University and North Carolina State University to determine the kinds of communication utilized in our courses and how communication is taught and assessed. When looking at student attitudes towards communication our analyses suggest that students do not consider technical (professional) activities such as code reading, writing, and inspections as communication activities, and the same applies to more complex genres such as software testing or design. They also appear to have difficulty relating writing and reading that may take place in the context of the courses to what they might be doing as software engineers and computer scientists once they start working. On the other hand, initial results indicate that our students' communications skills increase steadily throughout their stay in the university. We have also identified potential strategies for improved instruction in communication.