Using Gray Literature to Influence Software Engineering Curricula

Abstract

Software engineering (SE) evolves rapidly, with changing technology and industry expectations. The curriculum review bodies (e.g., ACM and IEEE-CS working groups) respond well but can have refresh cycles measured in years. For Computer Science and SE educators to be agile, predictive, and adapt to changing technology trends, judicious use of gray literature (GL) can be helpful. Other fields have found GL useful in bridging academic research and industry needs. GL can be extended to SE to aid faculty preparing students for industry. We address two questions: first, given the velocity of technical change, do current curricular guidelines accurately reflect industry practice and need for our graduates? Second, how can we track current and emerging trends to capture relevant competencies? We argue a study of the scholarly literature will have a limited impact on our understanding of current and emerging trends and curriculum designers would do well to utilize GL. We close with recommendations for SE educators.