Friday 21 February 2014

Online Marking Of Software Assignments

The chapter "Electronic Online Marking Of Software Assignments  (EOMOSA)" is to be published in the forthcoming book  Progress in IS: Software Engineering Education for a Global E-service Economy, Motta, Gianmario; Bing, Wu (Eds.), Springer, ISBN 978-3-319-04216-9. Due for publication April 2014.



Electronic Online Marking Of Software Assignments (EOMOSA) 

Gary Hill and Scott Turner

Abstract

With the advent of Virtual Learning Environments (VLEs) and online electronic submission of assignments, computing lecturers are increasingly assessing code online. There are various tools for aiding electronic marking, grading and plagiarism detection. However, there appears to be limited shared advice to computer science tutors (and students) on the effective use of these tools.

This paper aims to stimulate peer-discussion amongst tutors involved in the assessing (marking and grading) of software code. Many United Kingdom (UK) Higher Education Institutions (HEI) are using electronic marking. This paper discusses the authors’ experience and proposes suggestions for appropriate and effective solutions to the electronic assessment of software code. This will be based on the authors’ experience of electronically assessing code over three academic years and the current advice given to their students.



Wednesday 12 February 2014

Model-Based Development (MBD)

Welcome to Oyindamola Olajubu who has recently joined the Department of Computing and Immersive Technology, University of Northampton as a PhD researcher on a collaborative project  with GE Aviation Systems on Model-Based software development. A summary of the project can be found below.


Project Description
Model-Based Development (MBD) is seeing widespread adoption in a variety of domains within industry, especially in aviation. Industries around the world are reporting significant benefits from its use. However, the extent to which MBD can be used effectively in the software development lifecycle is unclear.
GE Aviation Systems primarily uses natural language (textual ‘shall’ statements) to express software requirements. These textual statements are often ambiguous, untestable, incorrect, missing detail, etc. Finding this out late in the development lifecycle proves very expensive. To this end, GE Aviation Systems has turned to MBD. They still use textual statements to express software requirements, but they supplement the requirements writing activity with modelling and simulation so that engineers gain a better understanding of the requirements and their faults. The models can then be refined and improved and serve as the Software Design artifacts that are used to auto-generate code. Currently, this means they have to write tests manually to test the design against the requirements. The study will investigate whether they could use models to express requirements and use those models to auto-generate test cases for testing the design model. This would then increase their productivity. To summarise, the research project will study the feasibility of model based tool support to capture requirements and automate requirements based testing.

Supervisors
Dr Suraj Ajit
Dr Mark Johnson
Dr Scott Turner

Tuesday 11 February 2014

Near Northamptonshire - BCS Bedford: Designing for The Connected Consumer

Date: Wednesday, 26 February, 2014

Title:  “Designing for The Connected Consumer:
           Adapting to changes in customer behaviour - Responsive Web Design.”

Speakers:  Chris Smith and Alec East of THBOOM! Web Consultancy

Time:  6.00pm for 6.30-8.00pm

Location:  Studio Theatre, Bedford College, Cauldwell Street, Bedford MK42 9AH

Register online at www.bedford.ac.uk/rwd

Abstract
 We are delighted to welcome Chris Smith and Alec East to Bedford College to talk at the next joint British Computer Society (BCS) - Bedford College free evening lecture on Wednesday 26 February.  This talk is part of the highly successful series of events held at Bedford College in partnership with the Bedford branch of the BCS.

Both Chris and Alec have been involved in interactive digital media since 1995.  They have worked internationally on projects ranging from pioneering the development of mobile social networks to creating award-winning interactive TV programs.  Nearly two decades of large-scale, big-name projects later and they've come to the firm belief that the future for business lies, not in the technology, but in being customer-centric in every aspect of an organisation and, if your business is going to survive the next decade, you need to be making the move towards putting the customer at the very centre of your business model now.  They formed THBOOM!, a web consultancy, in 2010 because other agencies were not willing or able to address this issue.

Target Audience
 This talk will be relevant to anyone interested in the connected consumer, the changing face of communication and their impact on the future of business.

The statement that “an entire generation has grown-up in a world where the web and mobile phones have always existed” has turned from a cliché into an alarm call as industry begins to recognise the influence their buying habits have now, and will have in future.  But it's not just them; everyone's behaviour has changed... except for the agencies who do your marketing, recruitment, advertising, branding...

Key Points

§    What on earth is a connected consumer and why should you care?
o      It's about behaviour change, not technology
o      Their impact now and in the future
o      The increasing importance of search
o      Some survival tips

§    What is Responsive web design
o      A little history
o      Why is responsive important?
o      From innovation to must-have
o      What are the challenges it presents for design and build?
o      What it does not do?

Agenda

6.00pm                        Registration, refreshments and networking

6.30pm                        Introduction
                                    “Designing for the Connected Consumer”

6.55pm                        Responsive Design – anytime, anyplace, anywhere

7.20pm                        Opportunity to question the speakers

7.45pm                        Thanks
             Opportunity to network and talk to the speakers