goran Šuković, university of montenegro 1/24 experiences with diploma projects at university of...

Goran Goran Šuković, University of MontenegroŠuković, University of Montenegro 11/24/24

Experiences with Diploma Experiences with Diploma Projects at University of Projects at University of

MontenegroMontenegro

1010thth Workshop on “Software Workshop on “Software Engineering Education and Reverse Engineering Education and Reverse

Engineering”, Ivanjica, 6Engineering”, Ivanjica, 6thth – 11 – 11thth September 2010.September 2010.


AgendaAgenda

• HistoryHistory

• Learning outcomes Learning outcomes

• What contributes to the project markWhat contributes to the project mark

• The assessment formThe assessment form

• StatisticsStatistics

• ProblemsProblems


HistoryHistory

• Started in 2001 – academic studies, Started in 2001 – academic studies, Computer Science programmeComputer Science programme– First projects presented in 2005First projects presented in 2005

• From From 20032003 –– applied studies, applied studies, Information technologies programmeInformation technologies programme– First projects presented in 2006First projects presented in 2006


Learning Outcomes (1)Learning Outcomes (1)

On successful completion of the On successful completion of the module, students should be able to: module, students should be able to:

• Conduct a reasonably thorough Conduct a reasonably thorough investigation into a topic of interest, investigation into a topic of interest, importance or relevance to computer importance or relevance to computer science or its applications science or its applications

• Where appropriate, accomplish an Where appropriate, accomplish an acceptable implementation (or other acceptable implementation (or other useful model) to fulfill the main goals useful model) to fulfill the main goals of the projectof the project



• Work largely independently, within Work largely independently, within agreed project requirements, with agreed project requirements, with minimal supervisionminimal supervision

• Deliver technical presentations Deliver technical presentations during the project development cycle during the project development cycle

• Complete a detailed project report Complete a detailed project report covering all central aspects of the covering all central aspects of the project project



• Work within all project deadlines, Work within all project deadlines, interim report deadlines and interim report deadlines and consultation requirements giving consultation requirements giving regular and timely feedback to your regular and timely feedback to your project supervisor(s) project supervisor(s)

• Plan and manage all your own Plan and manage all your own project milestonesproject milestones


What contributes to the What contributes to the project mark (1)project mark (1)

• The achievements of the projectThe achievements of the project– What was its scale? What was its scale? – How complex was it? How complex was it? – What problems did student overcome?What problems did student overcome?


What contributes to the What contributes to the project mark (2)project mark (2)• The processThe process

– Have student carried out the processes of Have student carried out the processes of analysis, specification, design, analysis, specification, design, implementation and testing, as appropriate implementation and testing, as appropriate to his/her project? How well have student to his/her project? How well have student analyzed and justified the decisions he/she analyzed and justified the decisions he/she took? took?

– (In the case of the supervisor) How was (In the case of the supervisor) How was student’s performance throughout the student’s performance throughout the year? How well prepared were he/she for year? How well prepared were he/she for meetings? How successfully did student meetings? How successfully did student spread the load throughout semester?spread the load throughout semester?



• The end productThe end product– If software, does it have the required If software, does it have the required

functionality? functionality? – How good is its user interface? How good is its user interface? – Is it stable and robust?Is it stable and robust?



• The project demonstrationThe project demonstration– How clear was student’s demonstration? How clear was student’s demonstration?

Could he/she answer questions Could he/she answer questions convincingly?convincingly?

• The project reportThe project report– Its content, clarity, presentation. How Its content, clarity, presentation. How

well have student described what he/she well have student described what he/she did, and how he/she did it?did, and how he/she did it?


Project Assessment FormProject Assessment Form

• Quality of demonstrationQuality of demonstration

• Quality of reportQuality of report

• Quality of productQuality of product

• Quality of process (based on all Quality of process (based on all sources of evidence)sources of evidence)

• Management (supervisor only)Management (supervisor only)

• Substantialness of achievementSubstantialness of achievement


Project Assessment FormProject Assessment Form


Statistics (1)Statistics (1)

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

Years

# of students

# of students 8 12 13 14 9 11

2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010



0

5

10

15

20

25

Language

# of students

# of students

# of students 3 9 22 9 2 9 9 4

Jav PH VB C# Pyt C/C Mat Oth



AreaArea # of stud.# of stud.

Genetic AlgorithmsGenetic Algorithms 1111

Graph AlgorithmsGraph Algorithms 44

Teaching SoftwareTeaching Software 66

Third-party ProjectsThird-party Projects 1111

Web ServicesWeb Services 33

Neural NetworksNeural Networks 1010

Mobile PlatformsMobile Platforms 22



AreaArea # of stud.# of stud.

Probabilistic SystemsProbabilistic Systems 33

Unsupervised LearningUnsupervised Learning 22

Semi-supervised LearningSemi-supervised Learning 22

Machine Learning Applications Machine Learning Applications 88

GISGIS 11

Parallel programmingParallel programming 22

Fuzzy logic applicationsFuzzy logic applications 22


ProblemsProblems

• Intellectual property rightsIntellectual property rights– The University has intellectual property The University has intellectual property

rights over any code that student produce rights over any code that student produce in the course of student’s project but…in the course of student’s project but…

– For students who implements third-party For students who implements third-party companies’ projects, intellectual property companies’ projects, intellectual property rights are transferred to these companies rights are transferred to these companies (T-com, Montenegro airlines…)(T-com, Montenegro airlines…)


ProblemsProblems• PlagiarismPlagiarism

– Deliberate plagiarism is a very serious Deliberate plagiarism is a very serious offence and as a minimum it results in offence and as a minimum it results in disqualification from the project module. So disqualification from the project module. So far, 3 students – we gave them new projectsfar, 3 students – we gave them new projects

– Plagiarism occurs accidentally – students Plagiarism occurs accidentally – students quote or paraphrased other people's work, quote or paraphrased other people's work, without clearly indicate that this is what they without clearly indicate that this is what they are doing, and doesn’t include the sourceare doing, and doesn’t include the source

– Tables, diagrams, other people's programs Tables, diagrams, other people's programs or source code etc. copied from elsewhere or source code etc. copied from elsewhere must also be clearly labeled as such, with must also be clearly labeled as such, with reference to the sourcereference to the source


ProblemsProblems

• Writing reportWriting report– Wrong structure of report (all levels)Wrong structure of report (all levels)– Lack of precisionLack of precision– Long sentencesLong sentences– Typography Typography – IllustrationsIllustrations– Grammar and spelling (Nightmare!)Grammar and spelling (Nightmare!)


ProblemsProblems

• Project management (1)Project management (1)– Project work is meant to begin with a Project work is meant to begin with a

period of reading and research. During period of reading and research. During this period, student ideas about how this period, student ideas about how he/she will approach the project work will he/she will approach the project work will crystallize, and he/she will learn the new crystallize, and he/she will learn the new techniques, background knowledge and techniques, background knowledge and perhaps programming languages which perhaps programming languages which he/she will need to complete the project he/she will need to complete the project


ProblemsProblems

• Project management (2)Project management (2)– our estimate – 180-240 hours/semester our estimate – 180-240 hours/semester

(10-15 hours/week or 2-3 hours/day)(10-15 hours/week or 2-3 hours/day)– 83% of students leave implementation 83% of students leave implementation

for the last 3-4 weeks of semester (daily for the last 3-4 weeks of semester (daily 0-12 hours)0-12 hours)

– 90% of students leave writing to the 90% of students leave writing to the (literally) last minute (literally) last minute


ProblemsProblems

• Lack of collaboration with third-party Lack of collaboration with third-party companiescompanies

• Some lecturers are not interested to Some lecturers are not interested to provide projects and/or support provide projects and/or support


Students' feedbackStudents' feedback

• Projects are too demandingProjects are too demanding

• I need one more week/month/year…I need one more week/month/year…

• I don't know how to read data from I don't know how to read data from files ... start Flex ... using pythonfiles ... start Flex ... using python


The EndThe End

• More informationMore information– www.pmf.ac.me

• Thank you for your attention!Thank you for your attention!

• Questions?Questions?

goran Šuković, university of montenegro 1/24 experiences with diploma projects at university of...

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