Reflective Practice in Software Development Studios: Findings from an Ethnographic Study

Abstract

Over the last two decades, software educators have adopted new approaches, techniques, and tools for practical learning. Previous research has found that studio-based learning, which has been in use by some design and architecture courses, is suitable for learning the practical aspects of software engineering. The studies available recognize the presence of reflective practice in software development studios; however, they do not show empirical evidence of its contribution to learning. The goal of this study is to understand the use of reflective practice in software development studios and its contributions to the practical learning of software engineering. The qualitative data were collected using an ethnographic method through participant observation and from written students' self-reflections, which were analyzed using Cycle Coding Method supported by Atlas.ti Qualitative Data Analysis tool. The findings suggest that reflective practice promotes the emergence of new ideas while contributing to the development of skills that are valuable to software engineering professional practice. This research presents a qualitative look at how these are developed in the context of a particular software development studio.

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“…The need for practitioners to be reflective of their past practice is important for continuous learning in software development, so as to allow for “improved design processes, and increased self‐knowledge” (Baumer et al, 2014, p. 98). In addition to continuous learning, reflection “promotes the emergence of new ideas while contributing to the development of skills that are valuable to software engineering professional practice” (Dors et al, 2020, p. 1), including practitioners' awareness of their potential biases and inequitable practices (Samuels, 2018). The reflection process “takes place in cycles of experience followed by conscious application of learning from that experience, during which a software developer might explore comparisons, ponder alternatives, take diverse perspectives, and draw inferences, especially in new and/or complex situations” (Dybå et al, 2014, p. 32).…”