Options
Investigating the period of switching roles in pair programming in a primary school
Citation
Zhong, B., Wang, Q., Chen, J., & Li, Y. (2017). Investigating the period of switching roles in pair programming in a primary school. Educational Technology and Society. 20(3), 220-233.
Abstract
Pair programming (PP) is a useful approach to fostering computational thinking for young students.
However, there are many factors impacting on the effectiveness of PP. The period of switching roles
between the driver and the navigator is often ignored by researchers. Therefore, this study aimed to explore
the impact of the switching period on PP. We conducted a PP experiment in four classes in the sixth grade
in a primary school. The results indicated that (a) the semi-free switch was more effective for the learning
achievement than the fixed periods, and the preference for adopting the fixed time interval to switch roles
existed in previous studies seems to be a kind of prejudice; (b) students who switched roles every 5 minutes
and semi-freely were more enjoyable than those who switched roles in every task and in every class
session. Moreover, the period of switching roles in every class session decreased students’ enjoyment after
PP; (c) the frequency of switching roles decreased significantly, but the negotiation between the driver and
the navigator became more active with time going in the semi-free class. Implications for teaching are also
discussed.
Date Issued
2017
Publisher
International Forum of Educational Technology & Society
Journal
Educational Technology & Society