Marco Aurélio Graciotto Silva

Integrated teaching of programming foundations and software testing

The importance of software testing is widely recognized, but usually only a small portion of the computer science (CS) curriculum is allocated for teaching it. Some experiences have suggested that the teaching of software testing should begin as early as possible so an adequate culture of testing could be created. One way to achieve this is addressing testing practices in conjunction with programming concepts in introductory CS courses. In this paper we explore such idea, working on the integration between the teaching of software testing along with the teaching of programming foundations. We discuss the development of an educational module, and its related learning materials, for integrating such knowledge domains. Besides that, we propose PROGTEST - a Web-based environment for the submission and automatic evaluation of practical programming assignments based on testing activities, aiming at providing an adequate feedback to evaluate the learnerspsila performance concerning programming and testing.

Barriers Faced by Newcomers to Open Source Projects: A Systematic Review

To remain sustainable, some open source projects need a constant influx of new volunteers, or newcomers. However, the newcomers face different kinds of problems when onboarding to a project. In this paper we present the results of a systematic literature review aiming at identifying the barriers that a newcomer can face when contributing to an Open Source Software project. We identified and analyzed 21 studies that evidence this kind of problem. As a result we provide a hierarchical model that relies on five categories of barriers: finding a way to start, social interactions, code issues, documentation problems and newcomers’ knowledge. The most evidenced barriers are newcomers’ previous technical skills, receiving response from community, centrality of social contacts, and finding the appropriate way to start contributing. This classification provides a baseline for further researches related to newcomers onboarding.

Using aspect-oriented PHP to implement crosscutting concerns in a collaborative web system

Aspect-Oriented Programming (AOP) is a new technology that was proposed to improve separation of concerns in software development. AOPs main focus is to use aspect modules to implement concerns that would be generally scattered across the system and tangled with other modules (crosscutting concerns). Although much research has focused on AOPs application to traditional software development, little has been done towards its application to Web development. Aspect-oriented PHP (aoPHP) is an addition to PHP that allows the use of AOP in the Web development context. In this paper we describe an application of aoPHP to show that AOP can also be effectively used in theWeb development context. In particular, we have implemented two crosscutting concerns in a collaborative Web system named CoTeia: the access control and the version control functionalities. Furthermore, we discuss how AOP can enhance the design of Web applications by reasoning on the refactored system

Model-driven development of learning objects

The development of effective learning objects that explores blended learning, collaborative, and open development requires a laborious process. Information created and used at each phase of the process must be manually translated and augmented until achieving a proper product. The issue of systematic development of learning objects can be addressed using model-driven development. In fact, each phase in the development of learning objects requires a specific type of user/developer profile and generates different models. This article defines a model-driven approach for the open and collaborative development of learning objects. The approach herein described uses concept maps, represented as CXL documents, and statechart-based models, which are represented as UML models in XMI documents. Finally, the later model is used to generate learning objects, given a specific platform description. The current implementation supports the generation of slides in LaTeX/Beamer format. The feasibility of the approach is demonstrated using a course on software testing for undergraduate students, with learning objects generated for a context that comprises both traditional classroom and blended learning.

What a Long, Strange Trip It's Been: Past, Present, and Future Perspectives on Software Testing Research

Over the past 25 years the Brazilian Symposium on Software Engineering (SBES) has evolved to become the most important event on software engineering in Brazil. Throughout these years, SBES has gathered a large body of studies in software testing. Aimed at providing an insightful understanding of what has already been published in such event, we synthesized its rich 25-year history of research on software testing. Using information drawn from this overview we attempted to highlight which types of study have been the most applied for conveying software testing efforts. We also devised a co-authorship network to obtain a birds-eye view of which research groups and scholars have been the most prolific ones. Moreover, by performing a citation analysis of the selected studies we set out to ascertain the importance of SBES in a wider scenario. Finally, borne out by the information extracted from the studies, we shed some light on the state-of-the-art of software testing in Brazil and provide an outlook on its foreseeable future.

A Strategy to Combine Test-Driven Development and Test Criteria to Improve Learning of Programming Skills

Students usually have difficulties assimilating basic contents of introductory programming disciplines. Test-Driven Development (TDD) is an interesting approach to address this issue, but it does not focus on quality with respect to software testing. This study aims to verify the effectiveness of the use of software testing criteria for producing test cases with higher quality in the context of education with TDD. We used the test-driven development technique with a change in the refactoring step, adding an activity for creating test cases using software testing criteria. We performed two experimental studies to evaluate the effectiveness of the technique. Each study comprised two groups: one using traditional TDD and the other using TDD with test criteria, both having developed the same software. The results showed that groups applying the proposed intervention produced better test cases, with greater coverage, and not disrupting TDD. Moreover, we could observe that, in general, the test set for groups using TDD with criteria was more efficient, getting greater coverage with fewer test cases than groups using plain TDD.

Preliminary Empirical Evidence on SPrL Variability Management with EPF and SMartySPEM

Every day increases the level of demand by customers in regard to the quality and complexity of software systems. Because of this, companies are increasingly customizing their software processes according to market and project needs. A systematic way is the use of the Software Process Line strategy (SPrL), in which each product derived from the line is a specific software process. Therefore, variability management is an essential activity. This paper presents an empirical study comparing the compositional and the annotative approaches in representing variability in SPrLs taking into consideration a SCRUM-based SPrL. Eclipse Process Framework was chosen to represent the compositional approach, whereas SMartySPEM was considered to the annotative approach. The approaches were compared taking into account the sequential exploratory strategy based on mixed-methods. A qualitative empirical study comparing these approaches was planned, executed and previously published with relation to the following set of criteria: modularity, traceability, error detection, granularity and systematic management of variability. Such study was based on the expertise of software process experts and provided important information for the hypothesis formulation about systematic management of variability, the main dependent variable of this quantitative study. Thus, the quantitative study presented in this paper analyzes the effectiveness of variability representation. As the main contribution of this paper, we present preliminary evidence on the effectiveness of variability management, allowing supporting the gathering of solid evidence for further research in academic and industrial set about the compositional and annotative approaches for variability management in SPrLs. As a result of this quantitative empirical study it was not statistically possible to confirm that the annotative approach is more effective than the compositional approach.

Avaliação de atividades de programação submetidas em MOOC com emprego de técnicas de visualização

Contexto: Em disciplinas de algoritmos ou programacao, e necessario criar e implementar uma solucao para um problema. Entretanto, ha a possibilidade de possuir diversas formas de solucionar o problema e, consequentemente, formas de implementacoes. Desta forma, a quantidade de implementacoes possiveis e vasta, dificultando a avaliacao delas pelo professor quanto ao custo, tempo e qualidade da avaliacao. Para agravar essa dificuldade, cursos massivos, abertos e online (MOOC) possuem uma grande quantidade de usuarios, inviabilizando a correcao individual das submissoes. Objetivo: O objetivo deste trabalho e propor subsidios para a avaliacao de programas submetidos em disciplinas introdutorias a computacao, utilizando tecnicas de mineracao e visualizacao de dados para construir e apresentar agrupamentos de submissoes semelhantes. Os subsidios propostos consistem na utilizacao de ferramentas para extracao de caracteristicas, padronizacao no armazenamento dessas caracteristicas e a utilizacao de tecnicas de agrupamento e visualizacao, com o auxilio de uma ferramenta. Metodo: A primeira etapa consistiu na identificacao das caracteristicas que podem ser extraidas conforme o tipo de analise utilizado: caracteristicas estaticas referentes a estilo de escrita e complexidade. Apos a identificacao, foi necessario o desenvolvimento de ferramentas para coletar tais medidas de forma que pudessemos utiliza-las para realizar a projecao e visualizacao. Com isso, desenvolvemos uma ferramenta para analisar as informacoes disponiveis, realizando os agrupamentos e gerando uma visualizacao dos programas submetidos. Para avaliar a visualizacao de submissoes com auxilio da ferramenta, utilizamos uma base de dados de implementacoes com solucoes de cinco problemas distintos. A avaliacao ocorreu em duas etapas: mediante a qualidade das visualizacoes, considerando as tecnicas de mineracao e visualizacao de dados; e verificando o feedback da ferramenta para o professor por meio de um questionario. Resultados: Com uma base de dados de 152 implementacoes, obtivemos boa avaliacao da qualidade dos agrupamentos. Quanto a qualidade da visualizacao para fins de avaliacao das submissoes, realizamos um treinamento com a apresentacao dos criterios de avaliacao e da ferramenta. O estudo procedeu da utilizacao da ferramenta ScienceView, criando uma nova base de dados, e dividindo as correcoes em 2 grupos: um grupo realizara a correcao tradicional e o outro utilizara a ferramenta para auxiliar na correcao. Em seguida, esses dois grupos inverteram o modo como foi realizado as correcoes. Ao final do estudo, os voluntarios avaliaram o treinamento e a ferramenta positivamente. Conclusoes: Considerando a preservacao de vizinhanca, a qualidade da projecao e compativel com outras projecoes feitas com a tecnica LSP e similares, apresentando resultados similares relatados na literatura. Em relacao ao emprego de visualizacao para avaliacao de programas, os resultados foram limitados devido ao emprego pouco eficiente da ferramenta e dos agrupamentos. No entanto, considerando os agrupamentos que continham programas avaliados, existem indicios de que a visualizacao pode ser utilizada com exito e, se melhorarmos o treinamento, poderemos alcancar claramente nosso objetivo. Ainda assim, os participantes avaliaram como positiva a utilizacao da ferramenta. Como trabalho futuro, serao investigadas a utilizacao de outras caracteristicas das submissoes e o aperfeicoamento da usabilidade e treinamento quanto ao uso da ferramenta.

Reengineering of Educational Content: an Experience in the Computer Networks Domain

A educacao a distancia tem ganhado significativa atencao tanto na academia quanto nas iniciativas governamentais. Neste contexto, cresce tambem a preocupacao com a avaliacao da qualidade dos diversos aspectos destes cursos mediados pelas tecnologias da informacao e comunicacao. Apesar de muitos trabalhos discutirem diversos aspectos da avaliacao em Ead, a literatura carece de relatos de experiencia que, especialmente, abordem os cursos tecnicos a distancia que possuem especificidades relevantes. Assim, este trabalho relata uma experiencia onde se avalia e adapta uma das propostas existentes na literatura de avaliacao mediada por foruns, ao contexto dos cursos tecnicos a distancia, constituindo-se esta adaptacao e sua discussao as principais contribuicoes do mesmo.Em Educacao a Distância mediada por meio de Ambientes Virtuais de Aprendizagem, foruns de discussao sao um instrumento importante e amplamente utilizado na articulacao de debates e discussoes entre os atores envolvidos no processo de ensino e aprendizagem. Com a ampla utilizacao dos foruns muitas mensagens sao trocadas e isso, por vezes, excede a capacidade de monitoramento por parte dos professores e tutores. O presente trabalho apresenta a concepcao de um classificador de mensagens de foruns que classifica as mensagens em positivas ou negativas, a fim de identificar mensagens que necessitam de maior atencao. Este trabalho aplica conceitos de mineracao de textos, com o algoritmo SVM obtendo taxas de acerto satisfatorias.Este artigo apresenta o framework Contagious, cujo proposito e estabelecer diretrizes que norteiem a construcao de redes sociais online orientadas a Difusao de Inovacoes. Compreendo-se o fenomeno das redes sociais online como consequencia natural do carater social do ser humano, vislumbrou-se esse meio tecnologico de comunicacao e interacao social como potencial ferramenta para a extensao de praticas educativas, com vistas a formacao do carater integral do cidadao. Para isso, foi adotada a teoria de Difusao de Inovacoes, propria das ciencias sociais. As contribuicoes deste trabalho, portanto, compreendem duas vertentes: a) o mapeamento de principios de uma teoria social na forma de recursos computacionais e; b) um enfoque orientado a educacao sobre as redes sociais online.A proposta do trabalho consiste em desenvolver um sistema para ser usado no celular como ferramenta de auxilio para alfabetizacao, utilizando-se de imagens e sons como forma de facilitar o aprendizado. Como metodo de desenvolvimento utiliza-se o processo P@PSEduc (Processo Agil para Software Educativo) e a ferramenta JME (Java Micro Edition).O crescente uso e difusao de tecnologias Web, a ubiquidade de ferramentas educacionais vem proporcionado verdadeiras revolucoes nos ambientes de ensino. Atualmente, sabe-se que nao mais se deve tratar alunos de forma homogenea, como se assim os fossem. Em face disso, este artigo apresenta um sistema adaptativo de apoio a aprendizagem colaborativa, cujo tema e a construcao e representacao do conhecimento por meio de mapas mentais multimidia. Tal sistema, baseia-se na Teoria da Carga Cognitiva, cuja preocupacao primaria e a facilidade com a qual as informacoes sao processadas pelos individuos.