Introducing Computer Science Undergraduate Students to DevOps Technologies from Software Engineering Fundamentals

The fast adoption of collaborative software development by the in-dustry allied with the demand for a short time to market has led to a dramatic change in IT roles. New practices, tools, and environments are available to support professionals in their day-to-day activities. In this context, the demand for software engineers with these skills continues to increase, specifically those related to Extreme Programming, Agile frameworks, CI/CD, and DevOps. To match Computer Science undergraduate students' skills with existing job offers, some universities have begun to include DevOps topics in their curriculums. However, due to the wide range of courses covered in Computer Science majors, it is particularly challenging to introduce DevOps within the context of Software Engineering fundamentals, i.e., connect abstract concepts to skills needed for software engineers in the industry. This paper investigates ways of introducing Computer Science students to industry-relevant practices and technologies early from two Software Engineering fundamentals courses. Student outcomes were extremely positive, providing insights into ways to introduce students to DevOps-related practices and technologies and bridge the gap between academia and industry.