Evaluate Curricula Balance for Software Engineering Education with Using UGVA Method

Abstract

In these article deals with a methodological approach to comparing, evaluating and updating curricula in software engineering and computing. We describe the results of an analysis of seventy-three curricula for the Russian academic major «Informatics and Computing». For data concentration and visualization, we used the Unified Graphic Visualization of Activity (UGVA) method. We propose a model of balancing the learning load in the curricula. The images created using the described method allowed us to summarize curricula evaluation data, identify the differences in teaching students and best practices. In particular, it was found that most of the curricula have an insufficient number of hours devoted to courses for general and fundamental information theory and the cooperation with regional employers is low. Based on a comparison of the selected curriculum with others presented in the form of images in UGVA notation, we developed recommendations on changing the curriculum structure regarding courses developing key professional skills.

Keywords

• it-education
• curriculum balancing
• digital learning footprint
• cognitive visualization
• chernoff faces
• ugva method