SECM 2017 - First International Workshop on Software Engineering Curricula for Millennials

Millennials are defined as the demographic cohort following Generation X, born between early 1980s and early 2000s. We are already educating most of them. Many more are reaching adulthood, and college age, about now, and will soon be in our classrooms. Howe and Strauss (Millennials Rising: The Next Great Generation, Vintage Books, New York, 2011), who are credited with coining the term, state that
“as a group, Millennials are unlike any other youth generation in living memory. They are more numerous, more affluent, better educated, and more technically diverse. More importantly, they are beginning to manifest a wide array of positive social habits that older Americans [sic] no longer associate with youth, including a new focus on teamwork, and achievement…”
Clearly, Strauss and Howe’s characterization is not specific to American students: it is universal.
Educating the new breed of software engineers is tough. Millennials have been dominating the higher education programs for some time. This cohort has specific needs, learning styles, and skills. As Howe and Strauss emphasized, they are diverse, collaborative, tech-savvy, and keenly interested in emerging technologies. Companies quickly adjust to the shifting landscape of the new workforce both by capitalizing on the strengths of Millennials and creating a culture that caters to their expectations and needs. But what about educators? How should software engineering curricula and educators’ teaching styles adapt to these changes? Perspectives of students, teachers, and prospective employees should be heard to answer this question and identify strategies that work. Our goal in this workshop is to bring together main stakeholders to discuss the challenges of software engineering education and curricula for Millennials. We invite you to participate.