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This innovative practice work in progress paper presents a systematic approach for screening and aligning service-learning projects that maximize student learning outcomes. We introduce a feasibility assessment model with criteria evaluated through a standardized rubric that guides instructors to critically assess the project fit to help in proactively identifying risks to student outcomes. The rubric serves a dual purpose: guiding the assessment process and prompting discussions with potential project partners. These discussions elicit crucial details about the project scope, potential challenges, and other critical factors. This not only facilitates effective project selection but also allows for necessary adjustments to project parameters, significantly improving the chances of successful student completion. This work builds on the experience accumulated by CCSU's Software Engineering Studio which connects community project partners with teams of 4–5 seniors working on software development projects spanning one or several semesters. Since 2014, the Software Engineering Studio has facilitated over 65 distinct projects and engaged over 550 students. By capturing the lessons learned across a wide range of successful service-learning projects, we show the value of using a feasibility assessment model to evaluate potential projects based on criteria including alignment with course goals, student skill sets, workload manage-ability, educational engagement, and other considerations. The application of this model is illustrated with a case study, which demonstrates how this model helps instructors align projects with academic goals while considering scope, risks, and other critical elements. This example demonstrates how the model facilitates communication with project partners, identifies potential risks, and guides project adjustments to ensure a successful learning experience for students. The approach is transferable to other disciplines with adaptations for project types and student skills. This work contributes to the field of service learning by offering a practical framework for integrating valuable real-world projects into the curriculum while prioritizing student learning outcomes.
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Scaffolded Projects for the Social Good: A Strategy for Deploying Studio Model in CS Education
Scaffolded Projects for the Social Good (SPSG) is an adaptable service-learning framework with a low adoption threshold based on the studio model. Its goal is to enable instructors to easily embed externally sourced projects supporting Computing for the Social Good (CSG) concepts into existing software engineering or similar courses and addresses the barriers common to service learning, as well as other frameworks with similar CSG-related objectives. Establishing connections between computing and its societal benefits has proven to be an effective strategy for attracting students, especially those from underrepresented groups within the discipline. Furthermore, this work supports competency-based learning by offering students an opportunity to solve real-world problems in an authentic environment using current industrial practices and tools coupled with strong mentoring support from volunteer professionals and near-peers. Using a studio model helps overcome the timing impedance between the length of a single academic term and the timeframes required to complete real-world projects with student teams.
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- PAR ID:
- 10590539
- Publisher / Repository:
- ACM
- Date Published:
- ISBN:
- 9798400704246
- Page Range / eLocation ID:
- 1706 to 1707
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Location:
- Portland OR USA
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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- Free Publicly Accessible Full Text
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Accepted Manuscript1.0
- Conference Paper:
- https://doi.org/10.1145/3626253.3635487
