Teaching Component-Based Software Engineering and Visual Programming Language Techniques to Information Technology Students in Kenya

Teaching software engineering to information technology students in developing countries can help to churn out the next generation of software engineers. The teaching can be reinforced with hands-on training using conventional textual programming languages and component-based software engineering (CBSE). Visual programming languages (VPLs) packaged as low-code development environments (LCDEs) have risen to advance CBSE. The tools can be used as an alternative to train the next generation of software engineers. The LCDEs provide 'ready-to-use' components and reduce the time it takes to implement software applications. Implementing the 'ready-to-use' components offers a good basis for training information technology students in CBSE techniques and approaches. In this study, we focus on training CBSE, VPLs, and LCDEs to final-year undergraduate information technology students at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT, Kenya) and report our experiences. The findings show that teaching CBSE to undergraduate students using VPLs and LCDEs is relatively easy, even though this requires introducing the tools to students early in the academic programme cycle. Therefore, the study recommends introducing CBSE using VPLs and LCDEs to early-stage undergraduate students since they can be available for a relatively longer period for mentorship.