Experiences of Using a Collaborative Programming Editor in a First-Year Programming Course

Abstract

Recent research has demonstrated that collaborative learning can be an effective method for engaging millennial students.1,2 This paper highlights experiences of using a collaborative editor to facilitate learning in a first-year programming course. The paper will describe how the collaborative editor was customized for the class and how it was utilized by the teacher and the students. The web-based editor allowed students to see and edit the same program file and then execute the program individually without leaving the web browser. The editor became an effective classroom tool in the flipped learning model utilized in this course. Qualitative data were collected through the use of observations and surveys. The author discusses what was learned about the impact on students’ attitudes, learning and quality of work for this class. Challenges are also described, as well as recommendations for enhancements.