Creating an Open-Source Ecosystem for Contextualized Learning in Software Engineering

We present a contextualized learning approach to software engineering education. Within our Computer Science department, we develop and maintain our own bespoke software systems to support teaching and learning. All our source code is made open to contributions from students, following standard open-source software practices. This approach makes it possible to use our own code in lectures as real-world examples for the topics and principles we teach. It also enables students to participate directly in the evolution of the very software they use every day, both through occasional contributions and broader internship-like summer projects. These initiatives bridge the gap between theory and practice, allowing students to experience software evolution, maintenance, and collaboration firsthand in a meaningful context. Our experiences so far suggest that this model could serve as a blueprint for other institutions seeking to provide authentic, hands-on learning experiences in software engineering.