Use of Microsoft Testing Tools to Teach Software Testing: An Experience Report

This paper reports our experience using Microsoft testing tools in both graduate and undergraduate Software Testing courses for four semesters. In particular, we used Microsoft Visual Studio Ultimate 2010 (including Microsoft Test Manager 2010) and Microsoft Team Foundation Server 2010, which together offer an integrated and comprehensive environment for the application lifecycle management, including test planning, authoring, automation, execution, tracking, monitoring and managing. We assessed our experience in using the tools from the student`s and the teacher’s points of view. Based on students’ feedback, we found that students not only consider they learned a lot from the labs (where Microsoft tools were used) but also deem the tools easy to use, relevant to the course (supported the learning of course concepts), and valuable for their professional career. On the other hand, based on the teacher assessment, Microsoft tools provide support for the application of many different concepts studied along the course within an integrated environment, reducing the learning curve for students, while offering the added value of an industrial-level tool.