Title: Effective pair programming practice: toward improving student learning in software engineering class

Authors: Mohammed Akour; Khalid Al-Radaideh; Iyad Alazzam; Izzat Mahmoud Alsmadi

Addresses: Department of Computer Information System, Yarmouk University, P.O. Box 566, Irbid 21163, Jordan ' Department of Management Information System, Qassim University, P.O. Box 6633, Buridah 51452, Saudi Arabia ' Department of Computer Information System, Yarmouk University, P.O. Box 566, Irbid 21163, Jordan ' Department of Computer Information System, Yarmouk University, P.O. Box 566, Irbid 21163, Jordan

Abstract: Pair programming is one of the software development practices in which two programmers working together in partnership using one computer, cooperating with each other on the same problem. Previous research indicates that the pair programming show positive impact on the quality of produced product on the team attitudes and feeling. A formal pair programming experiments were conducted at Yarmouk University to assess and evaluate empirically the impact of pair programming in improving the learning effectiveness, efficiency, and gratification of students in software engineering course. Results reveal that students' gratification, efficiency and effectiveness are increased when pair programming is used. Moreover, this paper shows experiment results about the compatibility between pairs. The results indicate that students who pair based on their skills are more compatible than the students who pair with different skills.

Keywords: pair programming; pairs compatibility; Myers Briggs; pair programming; student learning; software engineering; computer education; software development; cooperation; cooperative learning.

DOI: 10.1504/IJTCS.2013.060635

International Journal of Teaching and Case Studies, 2013 Vol.4 No.4, pp.336 - 345

Received: 25 Nov 2013
Accepted: 28 Nov 2013
Published online: 28 Jun 2014 *

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