The nature of software design and its teaching

Abstract

Design plays a critical role in the software's quality and long-term success. Yet, software design, as a systematic process, is not sufficiently understood, and its practice in the real world is highly varied. As a result, teaching software design remains a challenge in terms of lacking widely recognized and accepted pedagogy and even learning materials. These factors have played a role in persistently poor student learning achievement. The article makes an attempt to discuss what software design is and explore what teaching of software design may mean and entail. It also reviews published pedagogical studies and reports, composes heuristic suggestions, and searches directions of future research.