Last week I launched the “Hunt for the Wombat” project that Microsoft is providing as a download from www.mainfunction.com. Not only are the students working in teams to program a graphic game, they are learning about the bigger picture of the software development process.
I ran a pilot of this project last year, and I assumed the role of the Project Manager. I had teams of 4-5 students, and they selected their Development Lead. If a student asked me a question, I told them to talk to their Lead first. I opted to have weekly status meetings with the Leads and left it up to them as to whether they wanted written or verbal status from their developers. A classic moment occurred when I heard one of the developers cry out...”I'd get a lot more done if I wasn't in meetings all the time!”
It was also quite a revelation for them to learn the value of design and standards when they tried to integrate all their programs together. During the final presentation, I saw a working version of the program that was no where near completion just a day earlier. I asked the students how they got it all to work in the final hour. “John took it home and rewrote the whole thing himself.” (Name changed to protect the not so innocent.)
I'm looking forward to seeing how the project turns out this year....I'll keep you posted.
Susan