PearProgram: A More Fruitful Approach to Pair Programming

Abstract

In this paper we present PearProgram, a hybrid learning and research tool that helps introductory Computer Science (CS) students learn how to pair program, including in remote learning environments. Grounded in theory from the Learning Sciences, the tool -- a collaborative, online IDE -- has two primary goals: 1) to help introductory CS students achieve pair programming success; and 2) to research what factors contribute to pairs that have beneficial outcomes. We present our learnings from the use of PearProgram in three remote introductory CS courses: a CS1 course, and two large international courses, including one for high school students. Teacher and student users responded positively to PearProgram, and use of the tool was associated with beneficial learning outcomes in these online learning environments. Our research opens many future research directions for (remote) pair programming, and indicates practices that may prove useful for CS educators at all levels.