Applying SCRUM in a Physics II undergraduate course: effect on student progression and soft skills development
OUTLINE
What is SCRUM?
“Scrum is a lightweight framework that helps people, teams and organizations generate value through adaptive solutions for complex problems. “
Ken Schwaber
Jeff Sutherland
AGILE manifesto
WHAT IS SCRUM
3 roles:
Product owner
Scrum master
Developers
5 events:
Sprint planning
Daily Scrum
Sprint review
Sprint retrospect
3 artifacts:
Product Backlog
Sprint Backlog
Increment
WHAT IS SCRUM
WHAT IS SCRUM
Scrum application, during remote teaching semester, on top of all the other student’s obligations
-To learn by their own, in groups, while attending the course like the rest of the students
-To enhance their soft skills
-Volunteers
-Students from different semesters
-1st SCRUM: 3 teams of 3,3 and 4 students
-2nd SCRUM: 2 teams of 4 and 5 students
APPLICATION�
1st SCRUM: 3 sprints of 14 days each
2nd SCRUM: only one sprint , 3 weeks duration
One 45-minute presentation explaining the function of a device, using concepts, laws and terms from Physics II course.
A 30-minute presentation explaining the sprint backlog items, at first 2 sprint review meetings (2 in total for each team)
A burndown chart on each standup meeting with the scrum master.
APPLICATION�
APPLICATION
SCRUM 1 Backlog and deliverables:
APPLICATION
SCRUM 2 Backlog and deliverables:
TOOLS�
Virtual working space for work, meetings, discussion and fun
DISCORD App for PC, Android and OS devices
TOOLS�
Sprint Planning and Sprint Review
Zoom platform
TOOLS�
Product delivery
Microsoft’s Power Point
TOOLS�
Burndown chart
Microsoft’s Excel
RESULTS
All teams managed to deliver the products on both Scrums
Total increments:
6 presentations 30 minutes each(after each sprint)
5 presentations 45 minutes duration each (after each scrum)
56 burndown charts
Average working weekdays : four days per week
Average duration of each working day: two hours
Dropouts: one student at the end of Sprint 3 / SCRUM 1
RESULTS
| No Scrum | Scrum | Total |
Registered students | | | 137 |
Final exam participation | 92 | 8 | 100 |
Pass Scores | 31 | 5 | 36 |
Success rates | 34% | 63% | 36% |
AVERAGE FINAL EXAMS GRADE | 3,8/10 | 6,7/10 | 4,0/10 |
Final Exams pass only average | 6,8/10 | 8,9/10 | 7,2/10 |
| | | |
RESULTS
FEEDBACK
9 answers
2. Have you ever participated in group assignments in the past?
9 answers
Yes
No
FEEDBACK
3. If yes, what was the size of the group?
6 answers
6. Have you ever heard of the Scrum framework in the past?
9 answers
FEEDBACK
9. In the beginning of the semester you were introduced in the Scrum framework with two different lectures, which described the concept and the methodology we were to follow. Now, after the completion of the group assignment, how difficult do you think was to follow the steps of Scrum?
“Neither difficult, nor easy, it was as expected”
FEEDBACK
“much more”
“more”
12. What is your opinion about the amount of knowledge you gained for the course (Physics II) by participating in the Scrum group assignment, in comparison to the conventional remote teaching (attending online lectures) of the course?
FEEDBACK
13. Following the previous question number 12, do you believe that if you have worked without the Scrum framework, the results would be…
9 answers
“much worse”
“worse”
FEEDBACK
Keeping deadlines
Communication with my peers
Focus on the course
Time management
Course material handling
Searching in the literature
Nothing
Critical thinking
Decision making
Presentation of my work
14. In which of the following areas, do you think that you improved, using Scrum framework?
(you can choose more than one area)
FUTURE WORK
Thank you for your attention
Questions?