Reflection and abstraction in learning software engineering´s human aspects

Intertwining reflective and abstract modes of thinking into the education of software engineers, especially in a course that focuses on software engineering´s human aspects, can increase students´ awareness of the discipline´s richness and complexity while enhancing their professional performance in the field. The complexity of software development environments includes the profession´s cognitive and social aspects. A course designed to increase students´ awareness of these complexities introduces them to reflective mental processes and to tasks that invite them to apply abstract thinking. For the past three years, we have taught a Human Aspects of Software Engineering course at both the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology and the School of Computer Science at Carnegie Mellon University. This course aims to increase software engineering students´ awareness of the richness and complexity of various human aspects of software engineering and of the problems, dilemmas, question, and conflicts these professionals could encounter during the software development process.