2026 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Experiential Agile Learning: Transforming Software Engineering Education through Capstone Projects

Presented at CIT Technical Session 6: Experiential Learning and Capstone.

This full paper presents a design-based, agile-centered capstone model that integrates Scrum with experiential, constructivist, situated, and cognitive-apprenticeship principles to align software engineering education with industry practice. Students iteratively design, implement, test, and deploy software while agile practices support collaboration, reflection, and continuous improvement. Learning is assessed through an ABET-aligned, Bloom-referenced framework spanning technical, teamwork, and professional skills using triangulated evaluators (instructor, peers, stakeholders). We detail the theoretical rationale, the instructional and assessment design, explain the multi-rater assessment system, and present preliminary indicators of student development. As evaluation remains ongoing, the paper concludes with implications for institutions seeking to modernize capstones through agile, evidence-informed pedagogy and outlines a multi-year plan for comparative and alumni-tracking studies.

Authors

Dr. Georgios Eleftherakis PhD http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4857-4006 The Pennsylvania State University [biography]

Dr. George (Georgios) Eleftherakis is an Associate Professor of Computer Science at Penn State Brandywine, where he also serves as Program Coordinator for the Computer Science program. He holds a B.Sc. in Physics from the University of Ioannina, Greece, and an M.Sc. and Ph.D. in Computer Science from the University of Sheffield, UK.
With over 25 years of academic experience, Dr. Eleftherakis has established a strong research portfolio at the intersection of nature-inspired computing, complex adaptive systems, and formal methods for software engineering. His work focuses on bio-inspired models for self-adaptive and self-organizing systems, particularly in the context of Internet of Things (IoT) and distributed sensor networks. He has pioneered approaches such as EDBO, a bio-inspired overlay network for IoT, and explored their application in health monitoring systems for chronic disease management. He also coined the term "agile formal methods".
In addition to his technical contributions, Dr. Eleftherakis is deeply committed to advancing gender equality in computing. He has served in leadership roles within ACM-W and ACM-W Europe for over 15 years, promoting diversity and inclusion through policy development, mentoring, and community-building initiatives. His service includes chairing the ACM Council of European Chapter Leaders and contributing to strategic efforts that empower women in technology across Europe and beyond.
Dr. Eleftherakis has authored 85+ refereed publications, edited multiple books, and organized international conferences. His research and teaching excellence have been recognized with awards such as the University of Sheffield Senate Award for Sustained Excellence in Learning and Teaching.

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