Integrating playful activities in software engineering teaching

Software engineering involves the application of a systematic and disciplined approach to develop software products. Approach includes the development of methods, tools, and concepts in order to support the software development and management processes. Software engineering teaching has been focused on theoretical concepts and technical issues; communication, teamwork, and negotiation skills have been traditionally left aside. Playful activities appear as an alternative for promoting the `learning-by-doing' approach as a way to increase the absorption of concepts by the students. In this paper three playful activities are proposed and have been applied to a group of undergraduate students enrolled in the computer science programs. The feedback from the students who participated in these activities is also described.