How equity and inequity can emerge in pair programming

Colleen M. Lewis, Niral Shah

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contribution

Abstract

Research suggests that pair programming increases student performance and decreases student attrition. However, less is known about the ways in which pair programming can unintentionally lead to inequitable relationships between students. Audio data were collected from pair programming interactions in a sixth-grade computer science enrichment program designed to promote equity. However, even in this context, there were surprising instances of inequity. We measured inequity by documenting the distribution of students' questions, commands, and total talk within four pairs. Analysis revealed that less equitable pairs sought to complete tasks quickly and this may have led to patterns of marginalization and domination. Notably, this focus on speed was not evident in the more equitable pairs. These findings are important for understanding mechanisms of inequity and designing equitable collaboration practices in computer science.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Title of host publicationICER 2015 - Proceedings of the 2015 ACM Conference on International Computing Education Research
PublisherAssociation for Computing Machinery
Pages41-50
Number of pages10
ISBN (Electronic)9781450336284
DOIs
StatePublished - Jul 9 2015
Externally publishedYes
Event11th Annual ACM Conference on International Computing Education Research, ICER 2015 - Omaha, United States
Duration: Aug 9 2015Aug 13 2015

Publication series

NameICER 2015 - Proceedings of the 2015 ACM Conference on International Computing Education Research

Conference

Conference11th Annual ACM Conference on International Computing Education Research, ICER 2015
Country/TerritoryUnited States
CityOmaha
Period8/9/158/13/15

Keywords

  • Collaborative learning
  • Diversity
  • Equity
  • Pair programming

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Computer Science
  • Education

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