Experiences with Integrating Simulation into a Software Engineering Curriculum

Software Engineering education must account for a broad spectrum of knowledge and skills software engineers will be required to apply throughout their professional life. Covering all the topics in depth within a university setting is infeasible due to curricular constraints as well as due to the inherent differences between educational institutions and the actual workplaces of individual graduates. This paper shows how a flexible simulation environment can link the various topic areas of software engineering in the same way they are interwoven in the daily work of practitioners. The authors report their experience gained in using such an environment in their courses at their different institutions, each one having a very distinct focus. Customization of the environment and respective didactical changes can address students with different maturity levels, educational aims, and backgrounds.