Characterizing Communication Instruction in Computer Science and Engineering Programs: Methods and Applications

“Incorporating Communication Learning Outcomes
Across the Computer Science (CS) and Software Engineering
(SE) Curriculum” is an NSF-funded project that aims to identify
the communication skills, specifically those involving reading,
writing, speaking, and teaming, needed by CS and SE graduates
and then determine how these skills can be taught within CS and
SE curricula. This paper presents the results of our first two
years of studying the programs at Miami University and North
Carolina State University to determine the kinds of
communication utilized in our courses and how communication is
taught and assessed. When looking at student attitudes towards
communication our analyses suggest that students do not
consider technical (professional) activities such as code reading,
writing, and inspections as communication activities, and the
same applies to more complex genres such as software testing or
design. They also appear to have difficulty relating writing and
reading that may take place in the context of the courses to what
they might be doing as software engineers and computer
scientists once they start working. On the other hand, initial
results indicate that our students’ communications skills increase
steadily throughout their stay in the university. We have also
identified potential strategies for improved instruction in
communication.

First Steps Toward Integration Communication Instruction Throughout Computer Science and Software Engineering Curricula