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Debugging Our Computer Science and IT Programs Action Research Project Proposal Mark K. Reha

Debugging Our Computer Science and IT Programs Action Research Project Proposal Mark K. Reha. EDD/577 University of Phoenix. Introduction. This presentation is a proposal for an Action Research Project. This proposal includes: The problem statement A literature review

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Debugging Our Computer Science and IT Programs Action Research Project Proposal Mark K. Reha

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  1. Debugging Our Computer Science and IT ProgramsAction Research Project ProposalMark K. Reha EDD/577 University of Phoenix

  2. Introduction This presentation is a proposal for an Action Research Project. This proposal includes: The problem statement A literature review Desired goals and expected outcomes The selected solutions Estimated research costs and timeline Questions, comments, next steps The full details of the proposal can be found in the ‘Chapters I-IV of the Action Research Project’ paper.

  3. About The Writer A bit about myself: I currently work professionally as a Director of Software I have almost 30 years of industry experience in software engineering and IT 10 years in technical and senior management 5 years as an Application Architect, Solutions Architect, Lead Architect 15 years in as software developer in embedded systems, Windows development, and web application design and development I am the owner of 5 patents My online profile can be accessed at http://www.ontheedgesc.com/personal/ My graduate studies can be accessed at http://www.ontheedgesc.com/masters/

  4. Did you know? New computer science majors have declined 32% since 2000 (Bagaya, 2007). Computer Science programs are now viewed as a path to unemployment versus a path to wealth (Bagaya, 2007). The U.S. now has a shortage of IT and Computer Science skills (Bagaya, 2007). 62% of IT workers lost jobs due to business downturn, 80% of IT workers will not stay in the profession, an increase demand of 38% for IT workers, and 41% of IT workers would not recommend this profession (Bagaya, 2007). The circumstances and forces behind offshore outsourcing present a challenge to the U.S. historical lead in high-tech innovation (Bagaya, 2007). University administrators need to design undergraduate courses to attract new students and retain enrolled students (Bagaya, 2007).

  5. Problem Statement The problem is that many college and university Computer Science graduates and Information Technology (IT) graduates are not properly prepared academically to maintain, design, and develop Enterprise class web applications.

  6. Problem Description Web-related technologies have become predominantly used to implement a majority of all current desktop applications, business applications, mobile applications, and personal applications. Web technologies have been expanded to build applications for consumer devices, such as advanced TV set top boxes and digital TV’s. The Enterprise Java platform and the Microsoft .NET platform are the major platforms of choice for many companies who need to build these web applications. This action research project will determine if the current Computer Science and Information Technology curriculum are addressing these technologies.

  7. Literature Review 1 of 3 Microsoft .NET and JAVA are the most sought after general software development technology stacks. 75% of job trends in 2011 demand the Enterprise Java platform or the Microsoft .NET platform. (Kedrin, 2011). Research conducted in 2010 across eight Fortune 500 businesses suggested that we need to modify computer science curriculum to provide more emphasis on written and verbal communication skills, gathering, and eliciting customer requirements effectively (Simmons, 2010). Research in 2010 from three of the top Computer Science programs in the United States, as reported by the GRE College Guide, shows that only a minimal number of classes ranging from program and development, Java, and C++ are offered as part of the programs. The editors of Software Development Times, a popular technology magazine, wrote the following opinion piece in April 2010. What are computer-science students taught: To write software. Where are many newly hired programmers assigned? Code maintenance. (Ward, 2010)

  8. Literature Review 2 of 3 Industry leaders and editors of software development trade journals have made a number of observations, expressed concerns, and made recommendations. We propose a new course for all Computer Science majors. This course would be of code maintenance (SD Editorial Board, 2010). Ward suggested that the industry use the power of the MSDN network to help determine if we are facing a crisis when it comes to teaching college students proper software development skills (Ward, 2010). Most four-year programs still are trying to turn out Computer Science graduates who are prepared to move into any part of the field, or to go on to a research-oriented graduate program (Ward, 2010). We have had trouble finding qualified United States job applicants who want to do the work we need done (Lewis, 2010). Lewis implied that Computer Science skills being taught in top-tier colleges are not on par with what the industry requires.

  9. Literature Review 3 of 3 The literature review illustrates that industry professionals, trade journals, technical magazine editors, and researchers clearly validated and articulated the need to close the gaps in the Computer Science and Information Technology programs. It is evident after the literature review that the problem statement has supporting research and a major issue exists in the curriculum in the Computer Science and Information Technology programs. Research needs to be completed to identify the gaps in the Computer Science and Information Technology programs.

  10. Causative Analysis? The Computer Science and Information Technology industry is moving at a much faster pace compared to the pace of the curriculum updates in college and university Computer Science programs. The college and university professors are not teaching the core fundamental and foundational programming principles required to maintain, design, and build web applications adequately using the Enterprise Java platform or the Microsoft .NET platform. The skills and the experience of the college and university professors are not aligned properly with the technologies being used in the industry.

  11. Questions? What can academia learn by studying current software development teams already working professionally in corporate software engineering and information technology companies? What can academia learn from recent college and university Computer Science and Information Technology graduates? Can academia use this information to identify gaps and provide constructive feedback to colleges and university’s to improve the quality of education programs? This action research project will answer these questions.

  12. Research Population Software Development Team Maintain and build Microsoft .NET applications 13 participants 3 females and 10 males Age range is 25 to 45 Experience levels: 3 students have 3 to 5 years of industry experience 8 students have 6 to 9 years of industry experience 2 students have more than 10 years of industry experience

  13. Research Goals and Outcomes Identify specific changes that will be made to the curriculum to improve the skills in new graduates working in software development teams responsible for maintaining, designing, and building Enterprise web applications. The research data from this project will justify the recommendation of at least six additional hands-on labs during that can be taken during the last one to two semesters of the Computer Science and Information Technology program. The curriculum of the classes will be aligned closer to technology used in the industry and will promote more hands-on labs thereby improving the readiness of the students for the industry. These additional classes will also improve the attractiveness of the computer science program to potential students to increase enrollment rates. When a college or university implements the recommendations from this research their Computer Science or Information Technology program will differentiate their program from at least 80% of the top five University Computer Science programs in the United States.

  14. Selected Solutions 1 of 3 Research the top 5 major universities programs in Computer Science and Information Technology programs will be completed. The research will assemble an inventory of the technologies, standards, and platforms being taught in these programs. This inventory will be compared and contrasted to the current technologies, standards, and platform trends used in the industry between 2006-2011 to build Enterprise web applications. Distribute an anonymous survey to a current software development team in corporate America. The survey will focus on determining the experience of the team in the core technical domains used to design and build Enterprise web applications. The survey will be used to take inventory of the graduate’s skills and capabilities that they were taught to design and build Enterprise web applications as well as to use this inventory of skills to identify the potential gaps in the Computer Science and Information Technology programs.

  15. Selected Solutions 2 of 3 Distribute an anonymous survey to a current software development team in corporate America. The survey will focus on determining the experience of the team in the basic skills required to maintain Enterprise web applications. The survey will be used to take inventory of the graduate’s skills and capabilities that they were maintain Enterprise web applications as well as to use this inventory of skills to identify the potential gaps in the Computer Science and Information Technology programs. Conduct an interview with five software developers in corporate America. The interview will focus on the classes they received in a college or university Computer Science and Information Technology program and how these classes related to the skills required for their first professional programming position. The interview will also seek recommendations from recent college graduates on what can be done to improve university Computer Science and Information Technology program.

  16. Selected Solutions 3 of 3 (The author will) Teach a condensed 12-hour Web Application Design 101 course to a software development team. After completing the web application design class the software development team will learn the skills to model and design a web application leveraging either the Enterprise Java and Microsoft .NET platforms. Once the class has been completed the software development team will be interviewed to see if the class would be appropriate for a Computer Science program and provide research data to fill in any of the gaps in a Computer Science program or Information Technology program. Course #1: Understand the Software Development Lifecycle (SDLC). Course #2: Understand Requirements Analysis. Course #3: Understand the N-Layer Architecture. Course #4: Understand how to design the Presentation Layer. Course #5: Understand how to design the Business Services Layer. Course #6: Understand how to design the Data Access Service Layer. Course #7: Understand industry Best Practices. Course #8: Putting it All Together.

  17. Estimated Timeline and Costs Project will take an estimated 3 man months to complete the research and implement the selected solutions. Project will require the writer and a software development team as resources to implement the selected solutions. Project will cost an estimated $25,000 to implement the selected solutions.

  18. Questions or Comments Approval? Next Steps?

  19. References 1 of 2 Bagaya, Martin H.. (2007). An Analysis of IT/IS Offshore Outsourcing: Educator Perspectives. Nova Southeastern University. 2007 GRE Guide. (2009, June 27). GRE College Guide. Retrieved June 27, 2009 from http://www.greguide.com/comps.html Kedrin, Ivan. (2011). NY CTO:Web Application Development Technology Demand Trends & Predictions. Retrieved July 7, 2011 from http://nyccto.wordpress.com/2010/04/19/web-application-development- technology-demand-trends-predictions/ Lewis, B. (, May 2010). The Sad Standards of Computer-related College Degrees. InfoWorld. Retrieved from http://www.infoworld.com/d/adventures-in-it/the-sa standards-computer-related-college-degrees-202#talkback

  20. References 2 of 2 SD Times Editorial Board. (2010). Let’s Teach Maintenance. Retrieved April 15, 2010 from http://www.sdtimes.com/SearchResult/34244 Simmons, Chris B. & Simmons Lakisha L.. (2010). Gaps in the computer science curriculum: an exploratory study of industry professionals. Journal of Computing Sciences in Colleges, 25(5), Retrieved June 1, 2011 from ACM Digital Library at http://portal.acm.org Ward, K. (2010, July). Over-Educated, Yet Under-Qualified?. MSDN Magazine. Retrieved from http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/magazine/ff797912.aspx

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