Course overview 
The course builds understanding on different software development lifecycles, UML diagrams, analysis and specification of system requirements, analysis and design of information systems using object-oriented approaches, database design, user interface design for input and output, and protection mechanisms for system data.
Participants in piloting
This is an obligatory course that targets 3rd year students. Approximately 121 students enrolled in the course in semester 1 of the 2020 – 2021 academic year, from September 2020 to January 2021.
Timeframe
September 2020 – January 2021
Use of ALIEN services and tools
This course was delivered through 2 sessions per week, the first focusing on theory and second on practice. Tutorials and practical activities took place in the ALIEN problem-based learning laboratory. During tutorial hours, students participated in activities to reinforce theoretical knowledge developed in lectures. Some popular activities included working in groups to solve a problem on the ALIEN platform, reading a concept and sharing with neighbors undertaking the role of a concept expert, drawing UML diagrams and then working with partners to share ideas in think-pair-share tasks, analyzing pictures to see problems in requirements definitions, and more.
Through this course students developed problem-solving capacity through activities inspired by real-world needs.
