A Collaborative and Pattern-Based Training Approach to Knowledge Acquisition and Decision-Making During the Design of Software Architectures Courses: A Case Study

TL;DR

This paper presents a collaborative, pattern-based training approach for teaching Software Architecture, evaluating its effectiveness through a case study involving two universities and focusing on improving decision-making skills.

Contribution

It introduces a catalog of training patterns designed to simulate industry environments and enhance architectural decision-making in educational settings.

Findings

Training patterns improved student competencies in software architecture.

The approach was well-received by students and professors, showing perceived usefulness.

Collaborative international projects enhanced practical skills and teamwork.

Abstract

This article describes a collaborative learning experience on Software Architecture (SA) between Universidad del Cauca (UNICAUCA) in Colombia and Universidad Nacional de la Plata (UNPL) in Argentina. The goal was to apply and evaluate training patterns, identifying effective practices for replication in other contexts. During the planning phase, both universities compared learning objectives, curricula, and teaching strategies to find common ground for improving student training. Selected training patterns were implemented, and their impact on professors and students was measured. As an integrating activity, a global development experience was carried out in the final part of the course, merging the work teams of the two educational institutions in a development iteration. The evaluation of this experience focused on the competencies achieved through the training patterns, their perceived usefulness, and ease of use based on the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM). The training addressed industry needs for software architecture design skills despite challenges such as the abstract nature of architectures, prerequisite knowledge, difficulty in recreating realistic project environments, team collaboration challenges, and resource limitations. A catalog of training patterns was proposed to provide quality training. These patterns help simulate industry-like environments and structure architectural knowledge for incremental learning. The ability to make architectural decisions is developed over time and through multiple project experiences, emphasizing the need for practical, well-structured training programs.