Starting out with Projects: Experiences with Agile Software Development in High Schools

School software projects, as they are common e.g. in German CS classes, traditionally apply inflexible process models, mostly an adapted waterfall model. Typically, such projects are conducted at the end of a school year. In this paper we pursue the question, if and how changing process model and time may help bringing the advantages of project based learning into play. We describe and compare practical experiences of a study with 140 students, considering four different contexts. By applying agile methods, flexibility was gained. The evaluation of the different implementations results in a more holistic and comprehensive view of projects in CSE.