The value of pair programming in the IT classroom

Abstract

In the South African curriculum, Information Technology (IT) is one of the elective subjects in high school. In IT, 60% of the subject focuses on software development, an aspect that has proved to be challenging. In this article, we present a case for implementation of pair programming in the IT class. IT learners and teachers (from the North West and Eastern Cape Provinces in South Africa) were asked to implement pair programming in their classes, and to report on their experiences afterwards. From the results, it became evident that both IT teachers and learners appreciated the use of pair programming, as it improved their critical thinking skills, fostered social skills and assisted in their acquisition of programming skills. In a society where IT learners are required to keep up to date with changes in the field, pair programming holds great advantages to share resources and acquire a variety of skills.