Steps in developing an advanced software engineering course using problem based learning

University graduates may struggle to convert the skills they have learnt in software engineering design principles to real-world situations such as would be found in industry. The traditional teaching practice of lectures and tutorials is not providing the context nor sufficient practice for students to develop the skills needed to solve real work problems. This paper investigates the use of Problem Based Learning (PBL) and its application to software engineering and distance education. Through a sound pedagogical approach the key skills of PBL (as endorsed by PBL practitioners, such as problem solving and independent learning) can be developed in the students as they are exposed to real world software engineering problems

Engaging distance and on-campus students in problem based learning

The University of Southern Queensland in Australia offers multiple entry pathways to a suite of integrated programs delivered to oncampus and distance education students. The programs cover 2 to 5 years in 9 majors. A specially designed strand of four integrated courses using Problem Based Learning (PBL) was incorporated into programs and replaced some traditionally taught (lecture) content-based courses. The first offer of the new foundation course took place in 2002. It has since been recognised through a number of national and international awards. For the initial offer, delivering a PBL course to distance engineering students working in virtual teams, had never been done before in the world. It is currently delivered to approximately 400 students annually. Student feedback indicates that the course successfully inculcates attributes such as teamwork, communication, and to solve technical problems. All these attributes have been identified as being desirable by professional and industry bodies around the world

Risk-informed decision support for assessing the costs and benefits of counter-terrorism protective measures for infrastructure

The paper describes risk-informed decision support for assessing the costs and benefits of counter-terrorism (CT) protective measures for infrastructure. Such a decision support framework needs to consider threat scenarios and probabilities, value of human life, physical (direct) damage, indirect damage, risk reduction and protective measure costs. Probabilistic terrorism risk assessments that quantify the costs and benefits are conducted for three items of infrastructure using representative cost and vulnerability data. The illustrative examples show under what combination of risk reduction, threat probability, and fatality and damage costs the CT protective measures would be cost-effective for United States building, bridge and aviation infrastructure. It was found that if indirect losses (such as business interruption, loss of GDP, etc.) are considered, then CT protective measures are cost-effective even if the terrorist threat probability is not high. Opportunity costs can be considerable, which makes CT protective measures less cost-effective