Do conceito à interpretação da prática: explorando o uso de Role-Play para ensinar os fundamentos de DevOps

Abstract

In order to alleviate the problem of excessively expository classes in the teaching of Software Engineering (SE), many professors explore the use of active methodologies, including RolePlay (RP). In short, RP allows students to interpret specific roles within a context, promoting construction through a practical, collaborative and critical experience. However, it appears that, despite being prominent, this method has not yet been explored in the context of DevOps, an area that is quite important and used in the context of SE. Given this opportunity, this work aims to investigate the experiences and perceptions of undergraduate students regarding the adoption of a RP based teaching model for learning DevOps. From a methodological point of view, this research is framed within an empirical, experimental, and descriptive perspective. For data collection, structured questionnaires and participant observation were used with three different groups of students, totaling a sample of 30 people. Data analysis explored the use of descriptive statistics and Thematic Content Analysis. In terms of results, it was found that 93.3% of participants agreed that RP dynamics was an appropriate teaching method. Furthermore, 93.3% of students also agreed that the RP dynamics contributed to learning. Qualitative results also evoked positive evidence about the experience, especially as a result of cooperative learning and adoption of industry tools. In terms of contribution to academia, the proposed model based on RP offers a rich opportunity for students to experience real situations that adhere to the demands of the job market. In turn, for the industry, the use of RP promotes interaction and collaboration for students, as well as experience in situations analogous to reality, thus forming more prepared professionals from a social and technical point of view.