Peer Collaborative Networks in Undergraduate Computing Classrooms

Peers are an invaluable resource for students at undergraduate universities. Many factors can impact how students form connections, some of which are tied to the students’ identities. While social networks have been studied in the context of universities, little research has been done specifically about peer collaboration and even less in the context of computer science classes. Our research aims to gain an understanding of how peer networks form in computing classes and the effect of being involved in one on students’ academic performances. We collected survey data (n = 139) about students’ peer collaborative behaviors in computer science classes. Several patterns were observed. Students were more likely to collaborate with students with their same demographic identity, including gender and ethnicity. A student’s demographic identity had no predictive quality on their participation in a peer network. Students who participated in a peer network had a higher grade performance in the class compared to students who did not.