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Project-based learning is one of the main successful student-centered pedagogies broadly used in computing science courses. However, this approach can be insufficient when dealing with practical subjects that implicitly require many deliverables and a great deal of feedback and organizational resources. In this paper, a worked e-portfolio is presented as an approach to improve the teaching/learning and evaluation processes in project-based learning environments needing considerable resources. To validate this approach, a practical project-based software engineering course supported by a Moodle-based e-portfolio was designed and taught. The results obtained corroborated the effectiveness of the e-portfolio in practical software engineering teaching; this approach can be extended to similar subjects in other studies and/or curricula. (Contains 3 figures.)

This paper describes a new approach for a course and laboratory designed to allow students to develop low-cost prototypes of robotic and other embedded devices that feature Internet connectivity, I/O, networking, a real-time operating system (RTOS), and object-oriented C/C++. The application programming interface (API) libraries provided permit students to work at a higher level of abstraction. A low-cost 32-bit SOC RISC microcontroller module with flash memory, numerous I/O interfaces, and on-chip networking hardware is used to build prototypes. A cloud-based C/C++ compiler is used for software development. All student files are stored on a server, and any Web browser can be used for software development. Breadboards are used in laboratory projects to rapidly build prototypes of robots and embedded devices using the microcontroller, networking, and other I/O subsystems on small breakout boards. The commercial breakout boards used provide a large assortment of modern sensors, drivers, display ICs, and external I/O connectors. Resources provided include eBooks, laboratory assignments, and extensive Wiki pages with schematics and sample microcontroller application code for each breakout board. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The article announces the availability of the fourth edition of Institute of Electrical & Electronics Engineers Inc. (IEEE)/RITA, an electronic journal issued by the Spanish Chapter of the IEEE Education Society through the Chapter's Technical Committee of Accreditation and Evaluation (CTAE). It also outlines the papers published within the journal's Volume 3, Number 1, May 2008 issue.