How Pair Programming Could Increase the Retention Rate of Women Pursuing Computer Science Degrees
Pair programming — an agile software development technique in which two programmers work together at one workstation. One, the driver, writes code while the other, the observer or navigator, reviews each line of code as it is typed in. The two programmers switch roles frequently.
Did you know that pair programming, when used as a form of collaborative learning, has led to an increase in the number of female representation in the computer science field?
As the number of women majoring in computer science continues to decline from 28% in 1994 to a now stable 18%, the infusion of pair programming practices into the classroom could help universities drive up the retention rate of women pursuing computer science degrees.
According to multiple studies, women who pair program to complete an assignment as opposed to working alone, experienced the following:
- Greater Confidence
- Increased Enjoyment of the Subject
- Increased their Likelihood to Complete a Project
- Increased their Likelihood to Complete the Course
- Increased Retention in the Major One Year Later
We’re not talking about small percentage differences either.
According to a research study conducted by researchers at The University of California Santa Cruz,
“Among the students initially intending a computer science major, and who passed the introductory course and remained at UCSC for at least a year, women who paired were more likely than women who worked independently to be in a computer science-related major (59.5% vs. 22.2%)”
So if women learn better when they do it together, why are most in-person and online programming courses set up so that they are programming alone?
For those learning to code online, finding a partner to pair program is incredibly hard. This is especially true for underrepresented groups where their friends are either uninterested or unable to help. If you or a friend are experiencing this barrier, try using The Bit to find a partner to pair program an assignment, project, or online tutorial with you.
Teachers can also use The Bit Works (currently in beta), as a method for matching students together who want to take advantage of the online courses already provided by the school. This program would provide students the ability to work together in a supportive structured online environment.
Want to see how pair programming can make learning how to code more fun and less intimidating for women? Watch the video below of my friend Kelly learning how to code for the first time using pair programming. Spoiler alert, she realizes that coding isn’t as hard as she thought.
