The Impact of Solo and Pair Programming Modes on Problem-solving Skills and Motivation: Students' Reflections on Pair Programming

This study primarily investigates the effects of solo and pair programming on students’ problem-solving skills and motivation. Additionally, it aims to identify key factors and tensions associated with pair programming based on students’ reflections. An embedded mixed-methods research design was employed. The sample consisted of 42 undergraduate students. Participants in the control group, comprising 19 students, worked individually on computational tasks, while those in the experimental group engaged in the same tasks in pairs. All participants took part in computational thinking activities over seven weeks, structured around game development projects. Data were collected through questionnaires and in-depth interviews. The results indicated no statistically significant differences between the two groups in terms of overall motivation and problem-solving scores. However, the experimental group scored higher in the sub-dimension related to conceptualizing problems through modeling. Student motivation was found to be high across both groups following the intervention, regardless of the programming mode. After analyzing the qualitative data obtained from five students, a total of 122 codes were identified and categorized under six themes: 'team dynamics', 'task and platform characteristics', 'affective domain', 'cognitive strategies and problem-solving', 'pedagogical framework', and 'roles'. The qualitative findings suggest that the pedagogical benefits of pair programming can only be fully realized through the effective management of pairing strategies, peer communication, task difficulty, and collaborative processes