From Scrum to DevOps education: A review of Agile and Lean software development methods and teaching approaches

Context: Teaching agile and lean concepts is vital for software engineering students, as the software industry increasingly adopts methods such as Scrum, Extreme Programming, Kanban, and DevOps, equipping students with essential skills for real-world software development. However, despite the importance of software process education, a gap remains in understanding the most effective pedagogical strategies for teaching these methods. Objective: This study aims to address the gap in understanding by identifying the most widely taught software development methods and effective pedagogical strategies for teaching them in higher education. Method: This study addresses the existing gap through a literature survey of 50 primary studies. Results: The literature survey analyzed diverse teaching approaches and learning environments, while the experience report provided insights into how these approaches perform in practice. Combining traditional teaching methods, such as project-based learning and lectures, with innovative approaches like gamification, role-playing, simulations, and industry visits enhances both student engagement and skill development. Conclusion: The study concludes that engaging learning environments, utilizing appropriate teaching methods, and using a combination of software development methods topics in a course can equip students with the necessary skills to meet the demands of the software development industry.