Exploring the Impact of Live Coding on Student Experience in Introduction to Programming

Learning to program is often perceived as challenging, especially for students in introductory programming courses. This study explores the impact of live coding on student engagement, motivation, and overall learning experience in an introductory programming course at a technical university college in Jordan. The course, mandatory for all computing majors, serves as a foundational step for the IT school programs such as Software Engineering, Cloud Computing, Artificial Intelligence, and Cybersecurity. Live coding, a lecturing technique where instructors write and debug code in real-time, provides dynamic and interactive demonstrations of programming concepts that enhances student engagement in programming courses, and create an active learning environment. This research investigates how live coding affects students experience in learning the basics of programming. The empirical study is based on quantitative survey data from 161 student responses collected over two semesters. Findings suggest that live coding can significantly improve students engagement and motivation, and overall course satisfaction, giving students an overall positive experience. This paper contributes to the growing body of literature on live coding by offering empirical insights into its effectiveness for 2-year diploma programs and exploring relevant factors that influence the student learning experience in vocational computing programs.