A team-oriented approach to software training

It is suggested that, for students to emerge from four-year university programs with a greater understanding of the software construction process, something fundamentally different must be done in their educational process. An attractive alternative is to form students into long-term software development teams and give them real-world problems that require applying their course work and understanding the tradeoffs and practices common in modern software development. The practicum approach does not require revision to existing curriculum, but it allows for experimentation with novel learning activities in a team setting. The first year of an implemented practicum has demonstrated that the concept can expose students to a broader spectrum of professional issues, and it has garnered the enthusiasm of industrial representatives and students alike.<>