Title: Main memory software environment for pedagogical prototypes

Authors: Dzenan Ridjanovic

Addresses: Département des SIO, Faculté des Sciences de l'Administration, Université Laval, Pavillon Palasis-Prince, 2325, rue de la Terrasse, Québec (Québec) G1V 0A6, Canada

Abstract: Software prototypes have been used in information systems and software engineering as effective means of eliciting and validating user requirements. The essential part of developing a software prototype is the speed of its development. In general, the fast development is supported by software tools. In teaching software engineering, software prototypes are good means for motivating students. A software environment for developing pedagogical prototypes based on domain models, called Modelibra, is explained in this paper. A model contains concepts with properties and relationships with other concepts. Graphical user interfaces may be considered as user views of the model. Modelibra is main memory based to simplify and accelerate the model driven development of prototypes. The paper shows how a game, a graphical design tool and a web application may be prototyped with Modelibra.

Keywords: main memory; software environments; pedagogical prototypes; user requirements; software tools; Modelibra; domain models; user views; metaprogramming; information systems; software engineering; software prototypes; development speeds; student motivation; graphical interfaces; user interfaces; model driven development; graphical design; design tools; web applications; internet; world wide web; Laval University; Canada; universities; knowledge engineering; soft data paradigms; computers; higher education.

DOI: 10.1504/IJKESDP.2012.050727

International Journal of Knowledge Engineering and Soft Data Paradigms, 2012 Vol.3 No.3/4, pp.334 - 355

Published online: 23 Aug 2014 *

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