Web-Based Database Project for the Lawton, OK Police Department: Interdisciplinary Systems Software Development at Cameron University

摘要

Teaching systems software engineering to undergraduates can be a challenging task. Cameron University offers a unique interdisciplinary research and production experience for its senior Computer Science, Multimedia, Information Technology, and English majors. This capstone course provides students the opportunity to complete a comprehensive software project working for an actual client, and affords students the opportunity to practice real-life research and professional skills in a setting with multiple feedback opportunities. The client for the Spring 2013 course was the City of Lawton, OK, Police Department Gang Unit. The resulting student-developed product saved the city an estimated $100,000 in the cost of having to purchase a comparable product from industry. From this course, students learned to work as part of an interdisciplinary team, assess needs of the particular client, and use research skills to locate and utilize needed information. Additionally, student learning outcomes were enhanced through the use of a CASE tool.