Software Engineering Fundamentals and Paradigms

Code:

MESW0001

Acronym:

PPES

Keywords
Classification	Keyword
CNAEF	Informatics Sciences

Instance: 2023/2024 - 1S

Active?	Yes
Responsible unit:	Department of Informatics Engineering
Course/CS Responsible:	Master in Software Engineering

Cycles of Study/Courses

Acronym	No. of Students	Study Plan	Curricular Years	Credits UCN	Credits ECTS	Contact hours	Total Time
MESW	29	Syllabus since 2016/17	1	-	6	42	162

Teaching language

English

Objectives

This course aims to acquaint students with the engineering and management principles and paradigms necessary for the cost-effective development and maintenance of high-quality complex software systems.

Learning outcomes and competences

At the end of this curricular unit, it is intended that students:

1) Know and be able to describe critically the main challenges, activities and best practices for the development of large-scale software;

2) Know and be able to explore the main software engineering paradigms and methodologies, namely, agile methods , model-driven development methods, and formal methods;

3) Know and be able to explore the main techniques and tools needed to perform and manage the various activities of the software development lifecycle.

 

Working method

Presencial

Pre-requirements (prior knowledge) and co-requirements (common knowledge)

Knowledge and experience in software development.

Program

1. Issues and challenges of large-scale software development;
2. Main activities and best practices of the software development process;
3. Agile software development methods (inclding Scrum and XP);
4. Model-driven software development methods (including languages and tools);
5. Formal methods of software development (including languages and tools);
6. Integrated software lifecycle management tools.

Mandatory literature

Ian Sommerville; Software engineering (9th edition), Addison-Wesley, 2011. ISBN: 9780137035151
Rubin, K. S. ; Essential Scrum: A Practical Guide to the Most Popular Agile Process, Addison-Wesley Professional, 2012. ISBN: ISBN-13: 978-0137043293
Brambilla, M., Cabot, J., Wimmer, M.; Model-Driven Software Engineering in Practice, Morgan & Claypool Publishers, 2012. ISBN: ISBN: 978-1608458820

Complementary Bibliography

Fitzgerald, J., Larsen, P.G., Mukherjee, P., Plat, N., Verhoef, M.; Validated designs for object-oriented systems, Springer-Verlag, 2005. ISBN: ISBN: 1-85233-881-4
Jackson, D. ; Software Abstractions, MIT Press, 2006. ISBN: ISBN: 0-262-10114-9
Beck, K.; Extreme Programming Explained: Embrace Change (2nd Ed.), Addison-Wesley Professional, 2004. ISBN: ISBN: 978-0321278654

Teaching methods and learning activities

TEACHING

The classes will comprise the presentation and discussion of topics and the development of practical exercises and small projects by the students. Slots will be reserved for the presentation of special topics explored by the students.

EVALUATION

1) Final exam (individual; 40% of the final grade);

2) One group work researching and presenting a topic related with the course syllabus (15% of the final grade);

3) A group work for developing a modeling project (45% of the final grade).

DEMONSTRATION OF THE SYLLABUS COHERENCE WITH THE CURRICULAR UNIT’S INTENDED LEARNING OUTCOMES:

The two initial programmatic topics (software development issues and activities and best practices of the software development process) are related to the first learning objective, thus giving students the ability to know and critically describe the main challenges, activities and best practices for the development of large-scale software.

The following three program topics, address various software development methods, so providing students the ability to know and be able to exploit the main paradigms and methodologies of software engineering in particular agile methods, model-driven development methods and formal methods (2nd learning objective).

The last programmatic topics, related to tools, allows to provide students the ability to know and be able to exploit the main techniques and tools required to implement and manage the various activities of the software life cycle (3rd learning objective).

DEMONSTRATION OF THE COHERENCE BETWEEN THE TEACHING METHODOLOGIES AND LEARNING OUTCOMES:

The presentation and discussion of the course topics in the lectures allow students to be acquainted with the challenges, activities, best practices, paradigms, methodologies, techniques and tools for the development of large-scale software, thus reaching part of the learning objectives.

In addition, practical exercises and small projects will provide students the ability to explore in practice the methodologies and tools. The study carried out on a topic in the area, will allow the students to develop critical thinking about some of the topics covered.

Evaluation Type

Distributed evaluation with final exam

Assessment Components

Designation	Weight (%)
Exame	40,00
Trabalho escrito	15,00
Trabalho prático ou de projeto	45,00
Total:	100,00

Amount of time allocated to each course unit

Designation	Time (hours)
Estudo autónomo	78,00
Frequência das aulas	42,00
Trabalho de investigação	42,00
Total:	162,00

Eligibility for exams

Obtaining a minimum grade of 40% in the distributed assessment.

Calculation formula of final grade

Final Mark will be based on the following formula: FM= 0,4*FE + 0,6*A where FE is the classification in Final Exam and A is classification in assignments.

Assignments comprise:

- one group work researching and presenting a topic related with the course syllabus (15% of the final grade);

- a group work consisting of the development of a modeling project (45% of the final grade).

To complete the course students have to reach a minimum mark of 40% in the two components 

Special assessment (TE, DA, ...)

All assignments are mandatory even to students who have a special status. Such students are not required to discuss the progress of the assignments in the recitals, but may need to discuss with the professors at a convenient time for everyone. It is valid last year’s continuous assessment mark.

Classification improvement

Students can improve the mark of the exam in recurso (resit) season. Students can improve the mark of the assignments in the following year.

Observations

Important dates:
-17-21/Oct - presentation of research work on a selected topic
-28/Nov-2/Dec - submission of modeling project