Pair Programming Efficacy and Implementation Strategies in Chinese High School IT Curriculum

Abstract

In the past decade, governments worldwide have incorporated programming education in primary and secondary schools as a crucial initiative to cultivate technical talent and enhance international competitiveness. Against this backdrop, this paper examines the efficacy and implementation strategies of pair programming in Chinese high school information technology curricula. Pair programming is an effective learning approach that fosters computational thinking, communication and collaboration skills, confidence and self-efficacy, innovative thinking, and problem-solving abilities while simultaneously augmenting students' programming expertise and practical experience. To optimize the implementation of pair programming instruction, this paper proposes several recommendations, including defining students' pair programming roles, supplying essential programming tools and resources, judiciously allocating time, encouraging student sharing and interaction, emphasizing class cohesion, offering personalized guidance, and continually refining teaching methodologies.