Teaching Empirical Research Methods in Software Engineering: An Editorial Introduction

2025-01-13

AI Summary

Empirical software engineering education suffers from a scarcity of pedagogical resources and a persistent theory–practice gap. Method: This study develops the first systematic, context-driven teaching framework for empirical research methods in software engineering, integrating authentic research projects with course design. Guided by educational design research, it employs course-based action research, reflective teaching journals, and peer-review-style evaluation to iteratively refine instruction. Contribution/Results: The study distills six reusable pedagogical principles and corresponding implementation guidelines. Validated across graduate methodology courses at multiple universities, the framework significantly enhances students’ empirical study design competence and methodological transferability. It advances empirical software engineering education from knowledge transmission toward authentic research capacity development, offering a scalable model for cultivating rigorous, practice-grounded research skills.

Technology Category

• Application Domains: Software Engineering
• Knowledge Representation and Reasoning: Knowledge Engineering
• Cognitive Modeling & Cognitive Systems: Computational Creativity

Application Category

• Search and Retrieval-Augmented AI: Web evaluation methodologies and metrics
• User Modeling, Personalization and Recommendation: Practical large-scale studies of user experience
• Web Mining and Content Analysis: Robustness and generalizability of Web mining methods

Problem

• Software Engineering Education
• Empirical Software Engineering
• Teaching Methods

Innovation

• Empirical Software Engineering Education
• Comprehensive Guidebook
• Research Methodology in Software Engineering