Stephen Frezza

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Verified

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• PhD
• Director of Software Engineering at Franciscan University of Steubenville

This paper suggests that the purpose (goal) and manner (method) of knowledge application and generation usefully distinguishes engineering and scientific knowledge. This method could be significantly useful in distinguishing the scientific and engineering components of engineering education, as well as underscored the centrality of social context t...

Centered around the concept of Möjligheter, this paper focuses on motivating the rationale for faculty to 1) add more authentic problems to their design courses, 2) foster more interdisciplinary challenges in their courses, or 3) approach design instruction in a more consistent, scholarly or philosophic way. As educators, we often show students how...

How might the content and outcomes of tertiary education programmes be described and analysed in order to understand how they are structured and function? To address this question we develop a framework for modelling graduate competencies linked to tertiary degree programmes in the computing disciplines. While the focus of our work is computing the...

Computing Curriculum models have been historically framed from a cognitive perspective. Typically, the focus has been on bodies of knowledge and increasingly the notion of supporting skills and abilities. More recent curriculum documents such as the IT2017 curriculum have moved towards a professional competency approach and have included the furthe...

This special session proposal provides participants with hands-on experience in finding and making explicit the dispositional aspects of active learning. Many faculty develop interactive, active learning experiences to better support student learning; an oft-cited rational includes the notion that students will be 'better prepared' or more ready to...

In this paper, we present a preliminary description of the field of inquiry encompassed by the philosophy of computing education. We first attempt to identify a general framework for investigating characteristic questions of a philosophical nature that arise within the STEM application domains. We describe the categories such questions fall under a...

This paper explores Computing and Engineering (C&E) educators' perceptions about dispositions and investigates their readiness to integrate dispositions into their teaching. Dispositions are the underlying beliefs, attitudes, and values that influence how individuals apply their knowledge and skills. Employers recognize the importance of dispositio...

This research-to-practice work-in-progress paper describes the approach and methods for a qualitative study of early engineering students' development of professional values. The goal of the research program as a whole is to study students' understanding of professional virtues and how various virtue formation activities affect how students establi...

This presents a descriptive analysis of the relationship of competence and virtue for engineering and computing professionals. Rooted in recent developments in competence theory, including the development of the Computing Curricula 2020 (CC2020) guidelines, this work illustrates the relationship between competency-based and virtue-oriented approach...

Franciscan University Engineering (FUS) has as its goal the formation of its students in Christian virtues pursuant to their vocation as engineers. This paper describes the motivation and organization of a series of retreats that intersect between vocation and identity formation and connecting students to professional virtues that support their dev...

In How We Think, Dewey presents his ideas and perspectives on the role of the educator in training and facilitating students’ learning. He believed that knowledge is relative to human interaction with the world. Consequently, he believed that thought training leads into inductive and deductive reasoning, interpreting facts, as well as concrete and...

This Full Paper (Research) presents an analysis on the competences in software testing for the fresh graduates in computer science. Software Testing education (ST) is receiving increasing attention in literature, recent studies have evaluated instructional methods used in ST education. However, analysis of competences (skills, knowledge, and abilit...

This work focuses on a single question: "Which virtues ought to be emphasized in the formation of engineering and computing professionals?" The authors assume that the ethical codes proposed and maintained by various engineering and computing (E/C) professional bodies represent reasonable assertions as to the types of ethical considerations expecte...

Presentation given at FIE 2020. Outlines the case for Disposition as a component of competency and why it is essential to more effective engineering and computing education.

Presentation given at FIE 2020 in October, 2020. Outlines the paper, and makes the case for why disposition is an essential element of engineering and computing education.

The update of the broadly influential document Computing Curric-ula 2005 (CC2005), is underway with a project called Computing Curricula 2020 (CC2020). The CC2020 project plans to provide a vision for the future of computing, to produce a comprehensive report that contrasts curricular guidelines, and to contextualize those guidelines within a lands...

The broadly influential document Computing Curricula 2005 (CC2005) is in the process of being updated through a project called Computing Curricula 2020 (CC2020). CC2020 provides a vision for the future of computing education, including a comprehensive report that contrasts curricular guidelines, and contextualizing those guidelines within the broad...

As of 2019, there were 940 hate groups known to be active in the United States. Previous examinations of hate groups have assumed formation. This paper uses simulation modeling to test Weber’s 1947 socio-political theory of charismatic leadership. Simulation modeling creates a computer simulation that simplifies people and their interactions to mim...

While in this 21 st century computing artefacts regularly influence the exercise of judgement and decision making , computing baccalaureates remain largely absorbed in the "what" and the "how" of computation with a limited emphasis on the "why." Computing is reshaping social structures and interrelationships through waves of innovation and disrupti...

This study examines the cost of change in maintaining the quality of effective university courses. The primary contribution is the development and deployment of an instrument developed for assessing the number of courses changed annually, the severity of those changes, as well as compounding factors related to the length of time as an instructor. T...

This research aimed at evaluating the development and use of low-cost affective domain assessment instruments, culminating with personal and group characterization of representative global information technology (IT) professional values. Values and valuing are a compelling component of Bloom's affective domain of learning for engineering education....

How might the content and outcomes of tertiary education programmes be described and analysed in order to understand how they are structured and function? To address this question we develop a framework for modelling graduate competencies linked to tertiary degree programmes in the computing disciplines. While the focus of our work is computing the...

This is the poster presentation from Working Group 6 "Modeling Competencies for Computing Education" presented at the 23rd Annual Conference on Innovation and Technology in Computer Science Education (ITiCSE'18) in Larnaca, Cyprus. This was a brief summary of the work and preliminary findings of the working group at the conference. A draft report...

This working group contributes to formulating a framework for modeling competencies in the current and future disciplines that comprise computing education. We draw upon the innovative approach taken in the curricular document for information technology (IT2017), curricular competency frameworks, other related documents such as the software enginee...

Requirements engineering (RE) is an important part of software engineering education curriculum. Through RE, students can acquire the skills to elicit, analyze, specify, and validate the behaviors, functions, features and quality attributes of software systems. Project-based learning (PjBL) is a method of instruction in which students learn by inve...

One of the biggest challenges of organizations in contemporary times is the ability to manage rapid changes in business environment. Software and expert information systems can help to manage changes and thus contribute to addressing this challenge. The initial, and perhaps, most important activities in software and expert systems development are t...

Bernard Lonergan's account of the polymorphic character of consciousness provides a basis for distinguishing the common sense, scientific, artistic and ethical elements present in engineering. These elements regard "the same real objects," but do so from fundamentally different standpoints. In relating these standpoints to the underlaying "procedur...

This paper outlines the need for valuing of software engineering skills as a means to improve software engineering education. It presents a brief introduction to affective domain learning, and a survey of the education literature on software engineering skills related to software testing and quality assurance, which suggests that the competencies a...

To be published by TELPhE at ASEE 2016 (Maybe). Part of the panel discussion on "Are Engineers Authoritative? A Dialog on Engineering Education and a Terrorist Mindset" on Tue June 28th, 2016 1:15 PM (New Orleans Convention Center, room 243)

Metaphors help create realities for us, especially social realities. A metaphor influences behavior; to attract and/or divide. Metaphors for education provide symbolic representations of what we intend in education; insight into the philosophy that underlines both how we educate, and what we are trying to educate. E.g., "Education as a journey" con...

This paper presents the application of Bernard Lonergan's seminal work, Insight to the Philosophy of Engineering. Using a pragmatic theory of knowledge as a lens for examining the nature of engineering design as activities of knowing and willing, Lonergan's approach offers a knowing-based approach with the flexibility needed for an epistemology of...

Keynote address at the ABU^3QCE Conference in Al Baha, KSA

This paper presents the application of knowledge-based epistemology of engineering to the understandings of the engineering design process. This work aims to extend discussion on Philosophy of Engineering into its impact on our understanding of engineering design. The question this paper aims to address is how a knowledge-based philosophy of engine...

Discusses the use of Epistemology as a means of examining the foundations of Engineering as a discipline independent of its sub-disciplines (EE, SE, CS, ME, ChemE, CivE, Etc.)

Presentation on describing the writing components of introductory computing for an writing and rhetoric audience.

This paper proposes a brief exploration of the epistemology of knowledge, specifically distinguishing the development of scientific knowledge from the development of engineering knowledge. Based on a pragmatic theory approach (1), the paper proposes a pattern for distinguishing the ‘science’ of computer science from its ‘engineering’ aspects. The...

This paper proposes a brief exploration of the epistemology of knowledge, specifically distinguishing the development of scientific knowledge from the development of engineering knowledge. Based on a pragmatic theory approach (1), the paper proposes a pattern for distinguishing the 'science' of computer science from its 'engineering' aspects. The p...

While research has investigated the application of computational methodologies in undergraduate biology education, those approaches require students certain backgrounds from multiple disciplines. Recently, game design and development for education has moved into different fields of science, including biology. Several multi-media interactive product...

Surface model reconstruction from stereo vision is appealing to the rehabilitation industry, including the rehabilitation treatment equipment manufacturers. This article presents a systematic approach for constructing editable three-dimensional (3-D) surface models from stereo cameras and employ this approach to develop a commercializable system fo...

Geriatric patients with dementia and hypertension (DAH) suffer both physically and financially. The needs of these patients mainly include improving the quality of daily living and reducing the cost of long-term care. Traditional treatment approaches are strained to meet these needs. The goal of the paper is to design an innovative system to provid...

Web applications will perform unexpected behaviors against their original UML diagrams and specifications if they are attacked. These attacks always exploit vulnerabilities of those web applications which lack of sufficient protection on their web resources. The paper proposes a resource-based approach to extend UML diagrams for web applications. T...

After constructing a grid-based 3D surface model (GSM) for a customized cushion seat using stereo visions, we have observed that the model needs to be manually edited for minimizing the ridges. This paper presents a systematical approach to develop a visual manipulation tool, called VT-GSM, for visually manipulating GSMs. To realize the approach, a...

Geriatric patients with dementia and hypertension (DAH) suffer both physically and financially. The needs of these patients mainly include improving the quality of daily living and reducing the cost of long-term care. Traditional treatment approaches are strained to meet these needs. The goal of the paper is to propose an innovative treatment appro...

There are significant differences between an engineering discipline founded on a natural science and one founded on a formal science.

This paper presents a systematic approach to construct a grid-based 3D surface model for a customized cushion seat for people with disabilities. Initially, a 2D grid map is defined as the bottom surface of the cushion seat based on the required resolution. Then each point in the 2D grid map is projected onto one surface point in the 3D pixel-based...

Problem-based learning is a pedagogy that employs open-ended problems as a means of increasing student motivation and interaction in addition to achieving the intended educational goals. We present product-based learning as an extension of collaborative problem-based learning by focusing on the design and development of a product as a solution to a...

This essay reflects on the traits of God that reflect the ideal traits of engineers. Engineers apply their intellect to subdue and control the forces of nature, not as an end in itself, but rather, like God, this is accomplished for the greater good, particularly for the good of other human beings. In this sense, seeing the engineer in God helps us...

This chapter presents a case study in the development of a Software Engineering (SE) Bachelor’s Degree program. It outlines issues in SE program development, various means to address those issues, and explains how the issues were addressed in the initial and ongoing development of an undergraduate SE program. By using SEEK and SWEBOK as requirement...

This chapter presents a case study in the development of a Software Engineering (SE) Bachelor’s Degree program. It outlines issues in SE program development, various means to address those issues, and explains how the issues were addressed in the initial and ongoing development of an undergraduate SE program. By using SEEK and SWEBOK as requirement...

This chapter presents a case study in the development of a Software Engineering (SE) Bachelor's Degree program. It outlines issues in SE program development, various means to address those issues, and explains how the issues were addressed in the initial and ongoing development of an undergraduate SE program. By using SEEK and SWEBOK as requirement...

This chapter presents a case study in the development of a Software Engineering (SE) Bachelor’s Degree program. It outlines issues in SE program development, various means to address those issues, and explains how the issues were addressed in the initial and ongoing development of an undergraduate SE program. By using SEEK and SWEBOK as requirement...

The software engineering curriculum guidelines developed by ACM and the IEEE Computer Society, known as SE2004, have been available to the software engineering education community for a little over two years. During this time, a number of software engineering degree programs have been established and others have been revised in ways influenced by S...

This project evaluated the effectiveness of using certification-like real-world problems for regular assessment of student performance in a software engineering content course. The approach utilized the Turning Pointtrade personal response system as a means to present "Real World" software engineering problems and anonymously assess student learnin...

Testing is traditionally defined as "the execution of a program with the intent of finding errors."[1] This core definition, though useful, does not provide educators with an effective means to communicate either the goals or the value of software testing. "Testing and test design, as part of quality assurance, should also focus on bug prevention."...

RESUMEN RESUMEN In the light of a developing discipline and evolving accreditation standards , the design of a new Bachelor of Science in Software Engineering (BSSE) program can be challenging . This article outlines the requirements sources , effective processes , and a model curriculum for a BSSE program in a small university . This article is...

UML structural models involve understanding the semantic relationships of a visual language - specifically the relationships among class and instance diagrams, as well as the abstractions in relating these diagrams to the problem/design being modeled. The project presented in this paper focuses on student learning exercises wherein the students had...

Software testing plays a key role throughout the development of high-quality software systems. The question often raised is how to motivate and encourage students to perform test design early in their development process. This tutorial presents practical methods for introducing students to Testing as a Mental Discipline and related exercises that h...

This paper describes a method used for the collection, maintenance, and validation of a set of objective evidence that not only effectively supports the justification of meeting the program education objectives. The method also focuses on supporting a successful EC2000 program assessment process. The method identifies key sets of objective evidence...

This was presented at the RECU in Dayton, OH

The Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) Department of Gannon University has devised a process in which faculty define specific graded (key) assignments that are linked to the (course-level) student learning objectives. A student is only permitted to pass a course if they have also met or exceeded the minimum passing criteria defined in these...

This paper describes the use of an on-line survey and reporting tool to enhance ABET EC2000 preparation and to support consistent student evaluation of instruction. The tool includes interfaces to support chair, faculty and student processes necessary to publish, collect, and report survey information on learning outcomes from individual courses. T...

This paper focuses on the program development process, and how the Computer & Information Science department utilized the vinous program and professional requirements sources to develop a BSSE program proposal that is completely accreditable. The requirements sources referenced include the EC2000, CC2001, SEEK, SWEBOK, existing computer science cou...

Software testing is a challenging topic for undergraduates, but when integrated into a software design course provides many opportunities to enhance student learning in both testing and design. This paper describes an innovative approach to integrating testing into an introductory software design course for computer science and engineering undergra...

Software testing is a challenging topic for undergraduates, but when integrated into a software design course provides many opportunities to enhance student learning in both testing and design. This paper describes an innovative approach to integrating testing into an introductory software design course for Computer Science and Engineering Undergra...

This paper describes an innovative approach to combining formal coursework and industrial experience in order to prepare engineering graduates for careers in software development for embedded control systems. As computer control has become predominant for controlling machinery, heavy manufacturing companies, such as General Electric Transportation...

This paper describes an innovative approach to combining formal coursework and industrial experience in order to prepare engineering graduates for careers in software development for embedded control systems. As computer control has become predominant for controlling machinery, heavy manufacturing companies, such as General Electric Transportation...

For the past two years, the Department of Electrical Engineering has offered a specialty within electrical engineering to help prepare graduates for careers in embedded software engineering. This program offers a unique blend of software science and engineering within an ABET-accredited electrical engineering program

This paper describes an innovative approach to combining formal coursework and industrial experience in order to prepare engineering graduates for careers in software development for embedded control systems. As computer control has become predominant for controlling machinery, heavy manufacturing companies, such as General Electric Transportation...

This paper presents a methodology for automating the evaluation of complex hierarchical designs using black-box testing techniques. Based on an exploration model for design, this methodology generates evaluation tests using a novel semantic graph data model which captures the relationships between the related design and requirements data. Using the...

This paper presents a methodology for automating the evaluation of partial designs using black-box testing techniques. This methodology generates black-box evaluation tests using a novel semantic graph data model to maintain the relationships between the related design and requirements data. We demonstrate the utility of this technique by using the...

This paper presents a methodology for automating the evaluation of partial designs using black-box testing techniques. The methodology generates black-box evaluation testsets using a novel semantic graph data model which maintains the relationships between design and requirements data. The testset is used to simulate the design module and the relat...