Using a Chinese Learning Application for Case Studies in OO Programming, Database Systems, and Software Engineering Courses

Teaching applied courses like software engineering and database systems can be more effective when using real world problems as project topics. Right after students have been exposed to basic concepts and development skills, they can apply what they learned into problem solving right away. The author has been involving students in computer science courses to work on various R&D projects, by matching pieces of a big project with topics covered in the class. Often, students in several courses offered in subsequent semesters may collaborate on the same project. This paper will present in certain detail on how the author used scenarios from a Chinese learning application to provide case studies for Intermediate Programming, Database Systems, and Software Engineering courses. The resultant software product can be extended in future courses to help train our students to be problem solvers.