Abstract: This paper describes an active method for database design learning through practical tasks development by student teams in a face-to-face course. This method integrates project-based learning, and project management techniques and tools. Some scaffolding is provided at the beginning that forms a skeleton that adapts to a great variety of student-proposed domain projects and emulates the real way of working in database design. We include a quasi-experimental study in which the results of five academic years are analyzed. The first three years a traditional strategy was followed and a course management system was used as material repository. The active method was introduced for the last two years and coexisted with the traditional one. The course management system greatly simplifies the management of the numerous documents produced, the description and scheduling of tasks, the identification of teams, as well as all communication needs. In this study we analyze aspects such as exam dropout rates, exam passing rates, exam marks, and class attendance. Students that followed this active learning approach obtained better results than those that followed a traditional strategy. Besides, the experience of the introduction of such a method in a student subgroup positively influenced the whole group. © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Abstract: Background: Undergraduate students in computer science engineering undertake a capstone project that should integrate the specific knowledge and skills acquired during their studies. The advisor assigned to supervise the process undertakes a multifaceted commitment that varies among advisors. Purpose: This study develops and validates an instrument, and then utilizes it to determine the different styles of supervision in computer science engineering capstone projects. DESIGN/METHOD: A questionnaire was developed to survey capstone project advisors at a university during the past two years. A total of 109 surveys were successfully collected. A combination of multivariate statistical methods, such as factorial and cluster analysis, was employed. Results: This study distinguished seven main supervision factors: technology, arrangements, keep alive, execution, meetings, management, and reports. Then, six supervision styles were identified according to the advisor's varying degree of involvement in each factor: student alone, execution focused, global supervision, management focused, technological mentoring, and process focused. To further characterize these styles, we compared their applications focusing on the type of student, the grade obtained, the project duration, and the amount of time devoted by the advisor. Conclusion: We have determined the main factors in capstone project supervision and characterized different styles of supervision according to these factors. These supervision styles can help advisors recognize ways to proceed in the supervision of capstone projects. © 2012 ASEE.

Abstract: Telecollaboration is defined as a collaborative activity that involves people from distant geographic locations working together through Internet tools and other resources. This technique has not been frequently used in learning experiences and has produced diverse academic results, as well as degrees of satisfaction. This paper describes a telecollaboration experience among students at two universities. We analyzed data from 255 students divided into different groups in order to compare their academic results and satisfaction derived from the experience. We also studied the communication tools used by the telecollaborators and their effect on with student satisfaction. The telecollaborators obtained better academic results but lower levels of satisfaction than the face-to-face groups. Furthermore, the students preferred day-to-day tools, and the use of non-institutional email was the most popular option. Social networks and chat and voice tools also proved to be useful. And, those who employed synchronous tools were more satisfied with the experience.© 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Abstract: In the last few years, self- and peer-assessment have been increasingly employed not only as an evaluation method, but also as a learning procedure. The consistency and difference between self- and peer-assessments as compared to instructor-assessments have been previously studied, and a friendship bias was discovered. In this study, we introduce external-assessment (products are assessed by students from a different university that are enrolled in a similar course), and compare self-, peer-, external- and instructor-assessments. The experience was conducted at two different universities separated by a significant distance, during two consecutive years, including a total of 97 students. At both universities, students developed websites and online tools were employed to organise the different types of assessments. The obtained results indicate that there is a high-level of consistency across the different kinds of assessments. Moreover, a competitive effect was discovered: students tended to award higher grades to students from their same university while they were harsher with the products from a distant university. From the learning perspective, and according to the students' final grade, the assessment experience correlated with learning gains.

Abstract: Different learning methods such as project-based learning, spiral learning and peer assessment have been implemented in science disciplines with different outcomes. This paper presents a proposal for a project management course in the context of a computer science degree. Our proposal combines three well-known methods: project-based learning, spiral learning and peer assessment. Namely, the course is articulated during a semester through the structured (progressive and incremental) development of a sequence of four projects, whose duration, scope and difficulty of management increase as the student gains theoretical and instrumental knowledge related to planning, monitoring and controlling projects. Moreover, the proposal is complemented using peer assessment. The proposal has already been implemented and validated for the last 3 years in two different universities. In the first year, project-based learning and spiral learning methods were combined. Such a combination was also employed in the other 2 years; but additionally, students had the opportunity to assess projects developed by university partners and by students of the other university. A total of 154 students have participated in the study. We obtain a gain in the quality of the subsequently projects derived from the spiral project-based learning. Moreover, this gain is significantly bigger when peer assessment is introduced. In addition, high-performance students take advantage of peer assessment from the first moment, whereas the improvement in poor-performance students is delayed.