Teamwork in CS1: Student Learning and Experience with POGIL

Abstract

Employers regularly list teamwork as one of the most desirable skills they are seeking in college graduates. This paper describes a study about the effect of teamwork on student learning and classroom culture in a CS1 college class. In Fall 2021, an experienced college professor taught with POGIL for the first time in three sections of CS1. In two sections, students completed the POGIL activities in teams. In the third section, students completed the same POGIL activities individually. This study was then repeated in Spring 2022. In the fall semester, we observed a noticeable effect on classroom culture but no differences in student learning. In the spring semester, students in the sections with POGIL teams performed better on quizzes and programming assignments than those in the section where students worked individually. We discuss the implications of these results on collaborative learning in CS courses and the importance of student teams for faculty adopting POGIL.