A Master Thesis Presentation (Dartington Pottery Training Workshop, 1978) Author: Josef Hardi European Master in Software Engineering Supervisors: Prof. Barbara Russo Dr. Richard Torkar Situated Learning in Open Source Software Developers: The Case of Google Chrome Project Thursday, August 4, 2011
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Situated learning among open source software developers
Abstract--The presence of learning in organizations is important for success and survival. Recent research into open source software developers has primarily suggested a social constructivist view where knowledge is constructed in the social relationships within the organization culture. I report results from a case study that investigated the presence of situated learning in open source developers at earlier time of a project. Thirty-eight developers were systematically selected and examined on their performance, experience and roles during ten months of maintenance work. I followed a model of learning curve effects that associated the improvement in the average resolving time with the accumulated experience. I found a strong relationship between the two variables and confirmed the presence of learning. In addition, I found a less convincing evidence to affirm knowledge depreciates in open source software developers. The depreciation factor was estimated to be 94 percent, compared to other studies which ranged between 65 to 85 percent. An additional investigation was conducted around the organization structure to understand whether core and peripheral members have different average resolving time. The finding was inconclusive to claim both groups have different means towards issue resolution. The consistency in the result about learning existence between this thesis and several related research efforts suggests that learning is likely to be an intrinsic characteristic of open source software development rather than just a speculative belief.
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A Master Thesis Presentation
(Dartington Pottery Training Workshop, 1978)
Author:
Josef HardiEuropean Master in Software Engineering
Supervisors:
Prof. Barbara RussoDr. Richard Torkar
Situated Learning in Open Source Software Developers:
The Case of Google Chrome Project
Thursday, August 4, 2011
Introduction
• Situated Learning is the learning that occurs in workplaces [Brown et al., 1989].
• No separation between ‘knowing’ and ‘doing’.
• Situated learning is primarily practiced by the community of practitioners.
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Existing Findings
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• Learning curve effect.
• “That the more times a task has been performed, the less time will be required on each subsequent iteration.” [T.P. Wright, 1936]
• [Huntley, 2003]: Mozilla is reported to exhibit a strong learning curve compared to Apache.
• [Au et al., 2009]: Learning is universally present in OSS projects.
Thursday, August 4, 2011
• Data are taken from each individual instead of from an aggregation of individuals.
• More insights to individual characteristics.
• i.e., Knowledge depreciation and team roles as factors that affect the learning process.