Presented by: Larkin Cunningham
The presentation will explain the challenges faced when teaching online highly-technical software development subjects, with specific reference to the experience of delivering such modules in Cork Institute of Technology. The presentation will address how some of these challenges have been met successfully, while others remain to be resolved satisfactorily. Some of the challenges explored include: – Supporting remote students working on complex projects using complex tools – Facilitating and monitoring group projects for remote students – Building community spirit to encourage peer-support Some of the solutions explored include: – Incentivised forums and private journals – Cloud-based shared code repositories – Consistent virtual desktop environments – Ensuring software projects run “”out of the box”” to streamline lecturer or tutor support and grading – Cloud-based agile project management software Anecdotal evidence will be supplied to illustrate frustrations that students face in a mixed synchronous / asynchronous delivery model where peer support is expected to be the first port of call.
Presenter Biography:
Larkin is a lecturer in computing at Cork Institute of Technology and a PhD candidate at University College, Cork. He teaches online a number of highly technical subjects related to software development in the Cloud and his PhD research is related to the technological augmentation of the museum visitation experience.
Twitter: @larkin_research