2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

In this paper, we investigate the effects of applying Scrum practices–a lightweight Agile framework that emphasizes iterative development, collaboration, and adaptability–on student performance in a Computer Engineering course. Two student cohorts are compared: one engaged with Scrum techniques (Scrum cohort) and another one without this experience (Vanilla cohort). Performance metrics include assignment grades, the quality and quantity of the incremental product improvements completed during the final project, which was central to mastering most of the Scrum techniques, and the Expected Learning Outcome (ELO) survey results completed by the students at the end of the semester. Our findings indicate that, in addition to the known benefits of learning and practicing Scrum, involvement in these techniques led to improved student performance. Notably, we find that i) the Scrum cohort was much more inclined to implementing additional high-quality product increments for extra credit, even though they had less need for extra credit, grade-wise, compared to the Vanilla cohort, and ii) the Scrum cohort outperformed the Vanilla cohort in test topics practiced in the Scrum-based activities.
The observed positive outcomes align well with and extend the numerous well-documented benefits of Scrum. These benefits–including self-organization, iterative development, and flexibility–typically lead to more incremental and faster product delivery. In our study, Scrum principles were first introduced through lectures, contextualizing the principles for an academic setting. This was followed by a laboratory project, where students focused on creating user stories–short and simple product feature descriptions written from the user’s perspective–for the product they would later develop in the final project. The final phase of the study leverages the final project, conducted within the Scrum framework, where user stories are implemented as product increments.