Active learning in introductory programming courses through Student-led “live coding” and test-driven pair programming

This paper revisits two emerging active learning practices in introductory programming courses and proposes ways they can be further improved. We first focus on a category of assignments which can further support the switch from instructor-led to student-led live coding practices, thus helping develop the former into a real active learning pedagogy. Then, we propose to leverage test-driven development techniques through assignments meant to engage students in competitive learning without the drawbacks usually associated with this type of programming competition framework. The new activities have been tested in courses taught at the University of South Florida and observations of their impact are discussed with respect to constructive alignment theory, constructivist educational approaches, discovery learning and pair programming / test-driven techniques.