No abstract

Simulation games can help teaching and learning in several areas of Software Engineering. One important research issue is providing support for simulation games development, making the results of their adoption successful in Software Engineering courses. In this work, we identify a set of requirements focusing on some of the Constructivist learning theories. These requirements were used to evaluate Software Engineering simulation games. Based on these requirements, we created FASENG, a framework for development of Software Engineering simulation games. FASENG has three main components: simulation model, simulator, and simulation engine. Since there is a clear structural and conceptual separation among them, they can be reused in other development environments. In order to check the framework flexibility, we developed two distinct Software Engineering simulation games. The two main results of this research are a better understanding of Software Engineering simulation games requirements and the development of FASENG.

In Software Engineering courses, students are introduced to important theories and concepts. However, these courses lack a practical opportunity for students to experience them more effectively. Even with the team-based project approach it is not possible to train students in all the real situations of a software development organization, due to the very nature of software applications and the large variety of organizational cultures. Simulation games are an appropriate complementary approach to the traditional educational techniques. Students' preparation can be improved by allowing them to practice, through a simulator, activities that are infeasible to practice during a Software Engineering course, due to restrictions of time and resources. Unfortunately, the creation of a simulation game is not a straightforward activity; it involves many different skills and addresses different viewpoints. In this work, we discuss the issues and challenges associated with the creation process of a Software Engineering simulation game. We adopted an incremental and iterative approach, where each step involves different knowledge, allowing us to point out a set of important aspects that should be taken into account during the development. These aspects can guide new developers and instructors in the design and selection of educational simulation games.