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.