Solo, pair or Mob programming: Which should be used in university?

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.32870/Ap.v12n1.1791

Keywords:

Software development, university education, teaching technology, teaching strategies, programming

Abstract

The aim of this research is to compare individual, pair and Mob programming in university programming courses taking into account the perceptions of the students. 24 students participated in a course of Intermediate programming with Visual Basic. Net. They worked with the three modalities in the development of software projects during regular class sessions. A sequential explanatory mixed research design was used. For the quantitative component, questionnaires were administered. For the qualitative section, interviews were conducted. The results showed that students prefer pair programming because they perceive it as a midpoint between programming alone and doing it with a large group. Solo programming may cause stress and intellectual blockage, and doing so with too many people at the same time may generate distraction and imbalance of work among the participants. A limitation of the study is the sample size. However, the work makes quantitative and qualitative contributions in an area of knowledge little explored in formal literature. The findings suggest promoting work in pairs in university programming courses, as it is easily implemented with few resources and good results.

Author Biographies

  • Ramón Ventura Roque Hernández, Autonomous University of Tamaulipas

    Doctor en Ingeniería Telemática por la Universidad de Vigo, España. Doctor en Educación por la Universidad José Martí de Latinoamérica, México. Profesor-investigador de la Universidad Autónoma de Tamaulipas, México.

  • Sergio Armando Guerra Moya, Autonomous University of Nuevo León

    Doctor en Filosofía con Especialidad en Administración por la Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, México. Profesor-investigador de la Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, México

  • Adán López Mendoza, Autonomous University of Tamaulipas
    Doctor en Educación Internacional por la Universidad Autónoma de Tamaulipas, México. Profesor-investigador de la Universidad Autónoma de Tamaulipas, México.

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Published

2020-03-31

Issue

Vol. 12 No. 1 (2020): Digital implementation to transform pedagogy / April - September 2020

Section

Research articles

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