CLEI Electronic Journal

Assisting software architects in architectural decision-making using Quark

Non-Functional Requirements (NFRs) and constraints are among the principal drivers of architectural decision-making. NFRs are improved or damaged by architectural decisions (ADs), while constraints directly include or exclude parts of the architecture (e.g., logical components or technologies). We may determine the impact of an AD, or which parts of the architecture are affected by a constraint, but at the end it is hard to know if we are respecting the NFRs and the imposed constraints with all the ADs made. In the usual approach, architects use their own experience to produce software architectures that comply with the NFRs and imposed constraints, but at the end, especially for crucial decisions, the architect has to deal with complex trade-offs between NFRs and juggle with possible incompatibilities raised by the imposed constraints. In this paper we present Quark, a method to assist software architects in architectural decision-making, and the conceptualization of the relationship between NFRs and ADs defined in Arteon, an ontology to represent and manage architectural knowledge. Finally, we provide an overview of the Quark and Arteon implementation, the ArchiTech tool.

Los requisitos no funcionales (NFRs) y las restricciones se encuentran entre los principales impulsores de la toma de decisiones de la arquitectura. La satisfacción de los NFR se puede mejorar o empeorar por las decisiones arquitectónicas (ADs), mientras que las restricciones incluyen o excluyen directamente partes de la arquitectura (por ejemplo, componentes lógicos o tecnologías). Podemos determinar el impacto de una AD, o qué partes de la arquitectura se ven afectadas por una restricción, pero es difícil saber si estamos respetando los NFRs y de las restricciones impuestas con las decisiones tomadas. En el enfoque habitual, los arquitectos utilizar su propia experiencia para producir arquitecturas de software que cumplan con los NFR y las restricciones impuestas, pero al final, especialmente para las decisiones cruciales, el arquitecto tiene que hacer frente a complejas compensaciones entre los NFRs y hacer malabarismos con las posibles incompatibilidades emergentes por las restricciones impuestas. En este artículo presentamos Quark, un método para ayudar a los arquitectos de software en la toma de decisiones, y una conceptualización de la relación entre NFRs y ADs definidos en Artéon, una ontología para representar y gestionar el conocimiento arquitectónico. Finalmente, ofrecemos una visión general de la implementación de Quark y Artéon, la herramienta ArchiTech.

SBVR to OWL 2 Mappings: An Automatable and Structural-Rooted Approach

The wide applicability of mapping business rules expressions to ontology statements have been recently recognized. Some of the most important applications are: (1) using of on- tology reasoners to prove the consistency of business domain information, (2) generation of an ontology intended to be used in the analysis stage of a software development process, and (3) the possibility of encapsulate the declarative specification of business knowledge into information software systems by means of an implemented ontology. The Semantics of Business Vocabulary and Business Rules (SBVR) supports that approach by provid- ing business people with a linguistic way to semantically describe business concepts and specify business rules in an independent way of any information system design. Although previous work have presented some proposals, an exhaustive and automatable approach for them is still lacking. This work presents a broad and detailed set of transformations that allows the automatable generation of an ontology implemented in OWL 2 from the SBVR specifications of a business domain. Such transformations are rooted on the struc- tural specification of both standards and are depicted through a case study. A real case validation example was performed, approaching the feasibility of the mappings by the quality assessment of the developed ontology.

La amplia aplicabilidad del mapeo de reglas de negocio en sentencias ontológicas ha sido recientemente reconocida. Algunas de las aplicaciones más importantes son: (1) la utilización de razonadores ontológicos para probar la consistencia de la información del dominio del negocio, (2) la generación de una ontología destinada a ser utilizada en la etapa de análisis del proceso de desarrollo de software, y (3) la posibilidad de encapsular la especificación declarativa del conocimiento del negocio en un sistema de información mediante la implementación de una ontología. El lenguaje denominado Semantics of Business Vocabulary and Business Rules (SBVR) brinda soporte a tal enfoque al proveer al experto del negocio una forma lingüistica de describir semánticamente los conceptos y especificar las reglas de negocio, en forma independiente al diseño del sistema de información. Aunque trabajos previos han presentado algunas propuestas, resta definir un enfoque exhaustivo y automatizable de tales mapeos. Este trabajo presenta un conjunto amplio y detallado de transformaciones que permiten la generación automatizable de una ontología implementada en OWL 2, partiendo de la especificación SBVR del dominio del negocio. Tales transformaciones están basadas en la especificación estructural de ambos estándars, y son descriptas mediante un caso de estudio. Se ha realizado un ejemplo real de validación, abordando la factibilidad de los mapeos mediante la evalución de la calidad de la ontología resultante.

WER Overview: Retrospective, Trends and Relevance

This work refers to the review of 258 papers published in the WER throughout 15 editions. This review's goal was to identify the most active research groups within this workshop, the most debated topics and the trends in the Requirements Engineering area. Furthermore, the aim of this review was to analyze the relevance of WER. It was made identifying where WER papers have been cited. The results showed that Brazil, Argentina and Spain hold the most active groups. The requirements modeling is one of the most discussed topics in this event. Moreover, the results pointed out the international conference as one type of publication that more referenced WER papers, and the Requirements Engineering as one of the journals that more referenced WER papers.

Este trabalho se refere a revisão de 258 artigos publicados no WER ao longo de 15 edi ções. O objetivo desta revisão foi identificar os grupos de pesquisa mais ativos nesta conferê ncia, os assuntos mais debatidos e as tendê ncias na área de Engenharia de Requisitos. Além disso, o objetivo desta revisão foi analisar a relevância do WER, cuja análise foi realizada identificando as citações recebidas pelos artigos publicados no WER. Os resultados apontam que o Brasil, Argentina e Espanha representam os grupos de pesquisa mais ativos. A modelagem de requisitos é um dos temas mais discutidos no evento. Além disso, os resultados demonstram que confer ências internacionais é o tipo de publica ção que mais referencia artigos publicados no WER, e um dos journals que mais citam os artigos publicados no WER, é o Requirements Engineering.

A Levels-based Approach for Defining Software Measurement Architectures

During the execution of software projects, it is necessary to collect, store and analyze data to support project and organizational decisions. Software measurement is a fundamental practice for project management and process improvement. It is present in the main models and standards that address software process improvement, such as ISO/IEC 12207, CMMI and MR MPS.BR. In order to effectively perform software measurement, it is necessary an infrastructure to support data collection, storage and analysis. This infrastructure can be defined by means of an architecture, which describes the components necessary to support software measurement. In this paper we present the main results obtained from a systematic mapping study that investigated software measurement architectures and an approach proposed aiming to help organizations define software measurement architectures.

Durante a execução de projetos de software, é necessário coletar, armazenar e analisar dados para apoiar a tomada de decisão nos projetos e na organização. Medição de software é uma prática fundamental para a gerência de projetos e melhoria de processos. Ela está presente nos principais modelos e padrões que tratam melhoria de processos de software, tais como a ISO/IEC 12207, o CMMI e o MR MPS.BR. Para realizar medição de software de forma efetiva, é necessária uma infraestrutura para apoiar a coleta, o armazenamento e a análise dos dados. Essa infraestrutura pode ser definida por meio de uma arquitetura, que descreve os componentes necessários para apoiar a medição de software. Neste artigo são apresentados os principais resultados obtidos em um mapeamento sistemático da literatura que investigou propostas de arquiteturas para medição de software. Também é apresentada uma visão geral de uma proposta que visa auxiliar as organizações na definição de arquiteturas para medição de software.

Pedagogical Experiences in a Highly Populated Undergraduate Programming Course: Teaching How to Develop Medium Size Information Systems

Teaching how to develop medium size information systems in courses with high matriculation rates is a complex task. In Latin America this is an important issue because, due to high matriculation rates and scarce resources, Schools of Engineering have, in general, very low graduation rates and high drop-out rates. This paper presents the experiences of a team of teachers, during a period of eight years. Two strategies were proposed to cope with high drop-out and low graduation rates, and they were implemented and analyzed in two stages. At the initial stage, key roles were defined for each of the members of the teaching staff, focusing on programming assignments and the development and usage of e-learning support systems, such as a course web page and a newsgroup list. At the second stage the main goal was to consolidate the results from the previous stage, but also to make the contents on-line evolve, in order to improve the communication with students and among them. In this second stage it was also important to address the problem of high drop-out/abandon rates, trying to find out the causes and reduce their effect. This work proposes a decentralized form of organization of the teaching staff and shows how this makes a difference to make better use of the resources. It also shows that practical work on a project and the transformation to a semi-distance learning course had the effect of lowering the drop-out rates and increasing the approval rates. Finally this experience and the results have an inspiring effect on teachers and educational institutions to improve courses with similar characteristics.

Enseñar programación de sistemas de porte mediano en un curso masivo es una tarea compleja. En América Latina este es un tema importante, ya que, debido a las altas tasas de matriculación y a los escasos recursos disponibles, las Facultades de Ingeniería tienen, en general, muy bajas tasas de graduación y altas tasas de deserción. Este trabajo presenta la experiencia de un equipo docente durante un período de ocho años. Se propusieron dos estrategias para hacer frente a la alta tasa de deserción y la baja tasa de graduación, implementadas y analizadas en dos etapas. En la primera etapa se definieron roles clave para cada integrante del equipo docente, se focalizó en las tareas de programación y en el desarrollo y la utilización de sistemas de soporte de e-learning, como una página web y un newsgroup. En la segunda etapa se buscó consolidar el trabajo realizado en la primera, por un lado, y avanzar en la instrumentación de medios para disponer de un verdadero curso semi-presencial, por otro lado, con el objetvo de mejorar la comunicación con los estudiantes y entre ellos. En esta segunda etapa, fue importante también abordar el problema de la alta tasa de deserción, investigando las causas, para reducir sus efectos. Este trabajo propone una forma de organización descentralizada del trabajo docente y analiza cómo esto incide en un mejor uso de los recursos. Asimismo, muestra que el trabajo práctico en un proyecto y la transformación a un curso semipresencial permitieron reducir la tasa de deserción y aumentar la de aprobación. Finalmente, consideramos que esta experiencia, y sus resultados, pueden tener un efecto estimulante sobre docentes e instituciones educativas para mejorar cursos de similares características.

Design and Experimentation of Activities for CS1: A Competences Oriented Approach (unpacking the Informed Design Teaching and Learning Matrix)

Abstract In Introductory Computer Science courses, especially Computer Science 1 (CS1), dropout rates are generally high and results are often disappointing. In order to motivate and engage students to achieve better results in CS1, our teaching strategy is based on designing several activities using a competences oriented approach. This paper describes the use of a framework proposed by Crismond and Adams in order to create pedagogical activities for the CS1 course at Universidad ORT Uruguay. We propose to extend that framework with competences oriented activities. We present a detailed description of each activity. Our thesis is that including this kind of activities helps to obtain better results. Experimentation was done in 2012 and 2013. Teachers of the experimental group referred a high level of motivation of the students. Results show that the inclusion of those activities seems to be helpful for students and the proposed pedagogical design appears to produce better final results.

Spanish Abstract: En los cursos introductorios de programación las tasas de abandono y deserción son generalmente altas y los resultados son a menudo decepcionantes. Con el objetivo de motivar y comprometer a los estudiantes a lograr mejores resultados, nuestra estrategia de enseñanza se basa en el diseño de distintas actividades utilizando un enfoque orientado a competencias. En este artículo se describe el uso de un marco de trabajo propuesto por Crismond y Adams con el fin de crear actividades pedagógicas para el curso introductorio de Programación 1 en la Universidad ORT Uruguay. Nuestra propuesta es extender dicho marco con actividades orientadas a competencias. En este trabajo se presenta una descripción detallada de las actividades. Nuestra tesis es que la inclusión de este tipo de actividades ayuda a los estudiantes a obtener mejores resultados. La experimentación se llevó a cabo en 2012 y 2013. Los profesores del grupo experimental refieren a un alto nivel de motivación de los estudiantes. Los resultados finales de los cursos muestran que la inclusión de estas actividades parece ser útil para los estudiantes y el diseño pedagógico propuesto parece producir mejores resultados finales.

Towards a Model for the Development and Assessment of Competences through Formative Projects

The competence-based formation model has oriented educational policies in different countries during the last decades. From this model, the socioformative approach has its basis and works as a referent in Latin America to orient the formation and competence assessment. The socio-formative approach uses the methodology of the formative projects by means of an articulated set of pedagogical strategies that are used along the time to solve the problems of the context. This paper presents a model for competences development and assessment using formative projects as part of a technological architecture to personalize the students´ educational experience through a Learning Management System. Finally, a case study is presented to validate the proposed model with formation methodology in a virtual course.

Durante las últimas décadas el modelo de formación por competencias ha orientado las políticas educativas en diversos países. Dentro de este modelo, surge el enfoque socioformativo el cual es un referente en Latinoamérica para orientar la formación y evaluación de competencias. El enfoque socioformativo usa la metodología de los proyectos formativos, mediante un conjunto articulado de estrategias pedagógicas que se despliegan en el tiempo para resolver los problemas del contexto. Este artículo presenta un modelo para el desarrollo y evaluación de competencias mediante proyectos formativos, como parte de una arquitectura tecnológica para personalizar la experiencia educativa de los estudiantes a través de un sistema de administración de aprendizaje. Finalmente se presenta un caso de estudio que valida el modelo propuesto con la metodología de formación en un curso virtual de CIFE.

Understanding Game Playing Preferences

This paper presents the results of a study made with university students to determine the types of video games that they play, the platforms they use to play, and what motivates them to play or stop playing games. The study results distinguish among genders in order to be able to design appropriate teaching strategies which appeal to both genders. This work was done as part of a larger study whose aim is to both attract and retain students to the computer-engineering program.

Spanish abstract Este artículo presenta los resultados de un estudio realizado con estudiantes universitarios para determinar el tipo de juegos de video que juegan, las plataformas que utilizan para jugar y lo que los motiva para jugar o dejar de jugar juegos. Los resultados del estudio distinguen entre géneros para poder diseñar estrategias de aprendizaje que sean atractivas para ambos géneros. Este trabajo se llevó acabo como parte de un estudio más grande cuyo objetivo es atraer y retener estudiantes en la carrera de ingeniería en computación.

Curriculum Integration by Projects: Opportunities and Constraints A Case Study in Systems Engineering

Abstract The Universidad Nacional in Costa Rica is making significant efforts to improve the professional performance of graduates in order to respond to society and industry needs. In particular, the School of Informatics has been exploring the opportunities to implement, through the use of a pedagogy oriented to problems and projects, a curricular integration between diverse areas of knowledge in the curriculum. From this perspective and with the aim of integrating the areas of programming, databases and systems engineering, an initial exploratory study was carried out with faculty members and a group of students from the fourth level of the curriculum. The findings show several limitations, such as mismatches between the course contents, lack of faculty commitment to collaborative work and student resistance. They also show the need of establishing strategies to create, from the early years of the curriculum, the necessary conditions to promote a positive attitude towards curricular integration processes and therefore overcome, at least partially, the identified limitations

La Universidad Nacional está haciendo esfuerzos significativos para mejorar el desempeño profesional de sus graduados y así brindar una mejor respuesta a las demandas de la sociedad y de la industria. Particularmente la Escuela de Informática está explorando las oportunidades de implementar una integración curricular entre diversas áreas de conocimiento del plan de estudios, utilizando para ello la pedagogía orientada a problemas apoyada por proyectos. Desde esta perspectiva y con el objetivo de integrar las áreas de programación, bases de datos e ingeniería de sistemas, se realizó un estudio exploratorio con los académicos de la unidad académica y un grupo de estudiantes del cuarto nivel de la carrera. Los hallazgos muestran limitaciones, tales como falta de alineación entre los objetivos de aprendizaje de los tres cursos, dificultades para el trabajo colaborativo docente y resistencia estudiantil. El estudio hace evidente la necesidad de establecer estrategias para crear desde los primeros años del plan de estudios las condiciones necesarias para promover una actitud positiva hacia el proceso de integración curricular

Supervised Internships and their Lessons: Challenges and Experiences with Teaching Degree in Computer Science in Brazilian Scenario

In Teaching Degree courses in Brazil, the internship intends to complement the student’s graduation process, considering this field of work as an object of investigation and critical reflection on the environment which is around it. However, when it is related to Teaching Degree in Computer Science which forms educators to this area, some difficulties preclude the achievement of the internship in its fullness due to the absence of educational policies which may establish the performance of these teachers. Despite the incentive to actions, which involve the teaching of Computer Science in basic education in Brazil, Computer Science does not make part of any curriculum in schools. Trying to encourage this dialogue, this paper presents part of the scenario of Computer Science education and of the internship’s activities in Teaching Degree courses, showing its organizational structure and its directions of activities that provide experiences with teaching. The research also represents the challenges and the lessons learned while conducting internship disciplines in a specific course.

Nos cursos de licenciatura do Brasil, o estágio curricular visa integralizar o processo de formação do aluno, considerando o campo de atuação do estágio um objeto para a investigação e a reflexão crítica do ambiente que o cerca. No entanto, quando se trata da licenciatura em Computação, que forma educadores para esta área, dificuldades impedem que os estágios sejam realizados em sua plenitude, muito em função da carência de políticas educacionais que estabeleçam a atuação desses professores. Apesar do estímulo às ações que envolvam o ensino de Ciência Computação na Educação Básica, no Brasil a Computação não se constitui uma disciplina nos currículos escolares. Buscando incentivar esse diálogo, o artigo apresenta um recorte sobre o cenário da educação em Computação e dos estágios curriculares em Licenciaturas em Computação, mostrando sua estrutura organizacional e direcionamentos de atividades que propiciem experiências com a docência. O trabalho também apresenta os desafios e lições aprendidas na condução de disciplinas de estágio em um curso específico.

A Detailed Study of the Computer Science Degree at the Central University of Venezuela: Towards a New Curriculum Design

Abstract- The Central University of Venezuela, as part of its efforts for adapting its academic offer to national and international needs, is conducting a project to review, evaluate and modify the Computer Science curriculum, in order to form the professional required by the country. In this paper we present the results of the first stage of the project: an assessment of the Computer Science curriculum based on the use of various data collection instruments used to determine the professor, student and graduates perception of the program as well as deficiencies and potential of our graduates, according to the companies and organizations that hire them. The results show that there exist a gap between the perception of our professors about the program and the opinion of the employers. We also present information about student performance during the last decade, which is an input to the next stage of the program redesign.

Resumen-- La Universidad Central de Venezuela, como parte de sus esfuerzos para la adaptación de su oferta académica a las necesidades nacionales e internacionales, está llevando a cabo un proyecto para revisar, evaluar y modificar el Plan de Estudios de la cerrera en Computación, con el fin de formar el profesional requerido por el país. En este trabajo se presentan los resultados de la primera etapa del proyecto: evaluación del Plan de Estudios de Computación en base a la utilización de diversos instrumentos de recolección de datos que se utilizan para determinar la percepción del profesor, los estudiantes y egresados de dicho plan, así como también las deficiencias y potencialidades de nuestros egresados, de acuerdo con las empresas y entidades que los contratan. Los resultados muestran que existe una brecha entre la percepción de nuestros profesores sobre el Plan de Estudio y la opinión de los empleadores. También se presenta información sobre el desempeño del estudiante durante la última década, que es valioso insumo para la siguiente etapa del rediseño del programa.