From Theory to Interpreting the Practice: Exploring the Role-play to Teach DevOps

Abstract

Context: While Role-play (RP) has recently attracted increased attention due its capability as an active learning method in
Software Engineering (SE) education, a research gap remains regarding its adoption within the context of DevOps, a critical
area in SE.
Objective: This study investigates a RP-based teaching model for DevOps.
Method: We follow an empirical, experimental, and descriptive research approach, employing structured questionnaires and
participant observation based on three RP sessions (n=30 students). Data analysis included Descriptive Statistics and Thematic
Content Analysis.
Results: In summary, 90% of the students agreed that RP, when compared to an usual DevOps class, was more captivat- ing.
Moreover, 93.3% of them agreed that RP contributed to their learning. Pair-based learning and integration of industry tools
were highly favored by students according to qualitative results.
Contributions: We offer an RP-based teaching model that encourages collaboration and technical proficiency in SE students.
Our proposal can also serve as a potential source of inspiration for companies designing in-company training processes.