Factors affecting the perceived effectiveness of pair programming in higher education

Abstract

Abstract. This paper reports the findings of a study conducted on postgraduate students of an Object Oriented Programming (OOP) course in which pair programming was applied as an educational technique. This study addressed the question Why is pair programming sometimes ineffective? The focus of the study was on exploring the factors that may affect the success of pair programming. We employed a combination of data gathering techniques and triangulated them to analyze the data. We observed, recorded and interviewed students who pair programmed. They also completed questionnaires. There was evidence that matching by skill level and the task in hand are the main factors in the success of a pair programming session. 1.