Entry Powers:1978:DPP from sigcse1970.bib

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BibTeX entry

@Article{Powers:1978:DPP,
  author =       "Michael J. Powers",
  title =        "The directed project: a poor man's internship",
  journal =      j-SIGCSE,
  volume =       "10",
  number =       "1",
  pages =        "97--97",
  month =        feb,
  year =         "1978",
  CODEN =        "SIGSD3",
  DOI =          "https://doi.org/10.1145/990654.990593",
  ISSN =         "0097-8418 (print), 2331-3927 (electronic)",
  ISSN-L =       "0097-8418",
  bibdate =      "Sun Nov 18 07:38:04 MST 2012",
  bibsource =    "http://portal.acm.org/;
                 http://www.math.utah.edu/pub/tex/bib/sigcse1970.bib",
  note =         "Papers of the SIGCSE\slash CSA Technical Symposium on
                 Computer Science Education.",
  abstract =     "The opportunity for a student to receive practical
                 experience in the design and implementation of an
                 information system should be a key component of any
                 program which is preparing applications programmers and
                 systems analysts. CO-OP and Internship programs can
                 provide students with a significant and realistic taste
                 of what it means to practice their chosen profession.
                 But the ``cost'' of providing these programs is high.
                 If the programs are to retain their integrity, constant
                 and careful monitoring is required. If {$<$ u$>$
                 all$<$}/{u$>$} students are to have the benefit of some
                 ``practical experience'', it is necessary to provide an
                 experience which operates outside, but somehow parellel
                 to, the real life organization. It should receive input
                 from the organization without being a burden to it.
                 This is the Directed Project. In the Directed Project a
                 team of students, under faculty supervision, works on
                 the design and implementation of an information system
                 for some organization. The organization commits to
                 providing input to the team. This commitment varies
                 with the amount of preliminary work done by the faculty
                 supervisor, but is usually fairly light. In return for
                 its help, the organization receives the product
                 produced by the team as a gift. The structure is as
                 ``real world'' as possible. The students work as a team
                 and are evaluated as a team. They work under the direct
                 supervision of a student project leader. They follow a
                 well defined system development methodology and employ
                 a strict set of project control tools. The effective
                 solution of the user's problem is the primary goal of
                 the project team. Directed Projects have been done for
                 both off-campus and on-campus organizations. Teams have
                 consisted of four to eight students averaging about 10
                 hours each per week over a 16 week semester. Examples
                 are given. An evaluation of the Directed Project is
                 also presented. From the point of view of the student
                 the Directed Project is a tremendous advantage. In
                 attempting to ``put it all together'' the student has
                 the opportunity to identify strengths and weaknesses
                 and resolve any basic deficiencies in his background.
                 He is also forced to meet the user's needs, rather than
                 making simplifying assumptions to improve the elegance
                 of the design and the ease of implementation. Employers
                 have been very favorably impressed when interviewing
                 students involved in Directed Projects. From the point
                 of view of the faculty supervisor, the Directed Project
                 does require a rather significant commitment of time
                 and energy. But just as the students, the faculty
                 supervisor is practicing his profession. This
                 experience more than compensates for the time required.
                 The program itself also benefits in that the Directed
                 Project provides rapid and accurate feedback on the
                 effectiveness of both individual courses and the impact
                 of the overall program. Based on some (often
                 frustrating) experience, some hints for survival are
                 given. The first key element is choosing the right
                 project. Second is effective faculty supervision. The
                 faculty supervisor's role is a delicate one; if poorly
                 played it can ruin the experience. The student project
                 leader is also a key player. Finally rigid project
                 control is an absolute must. With a few basic tools and
                 some discipline, good project control is possible.
                 Without it, the project is almost guaranteed to end
                 ``95\% complete''.",
  acknowledgement = ack-nhfb,
  fjournal =     "SIGCSE Bulletin (ACM Special Interest Group on
                 Computer Science Education)",
  journal-URL =  "http://portal.acm.org/browse_dl.cfm?idx=J688",
}

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