Project-based Learning in Software Engineering Education: Integrating Blockchain-Oriented Repositories in SE Curriculum and Coursework

Software Engineering (SE) education aims to seamlessly blend theoretical knowledge with practical exposure, ensuring students the grasp of SE's foundational principles, design methodologies, implementation, testing, and maintenance capabilities with communication paradigms and problem-solving strategies. Under rapid evolvement and advancement, new technologies such as blockchain and artificial intelligence are poised to redefine the SE landscape. However, traditional SE curricula often lag behind in incorporating cutting-edge technologies, particularly in student class projects. This paper underscores the significance of blockchain within the SE pedagogical framework. Specifically, we introduce a project-based learning approach with blockchain technology to create an open-source software repository for students to engage in requirement analysis, design, implementation, and maintenance of blockchain-oriented software development. These activities will allow students to understand the nature and architecture of blockchain applications that have long been ignored in both computer science and SE education. Practicing these projects will enable learners to become experts in blockchain software development and rethink the need for improving requirements elicitation, design, development, and testing strategies. The repository consists of ten modules, each of which contains real-world topics. We have developed one of ten modules so far, which focuses on a blockchain-based student record database. A preliminary survey, both pre and post-exposure, was conducted with 24 university students of both undergraduate and graduate levels pursuing degrees in either computer science or software engineering programs. The feedback was overwhelmingly positive, highlighting the value of our approach in enhancing the learning experience of novel technologies. The participants also emphasized the need for adopting blockchain-based ideas in course projects. Our future endeavors will focus on expanding the repository to encompass a diverse range of topics, further embedding the role of blockchain in SE education.