On Fun for Teaching Large Programming Courses

2026-01-14

AI Summary

This study addresses the challenges of student distraction and difficulty grasping abstract concepts commonly encountered in large-scale programming courses. To mitigate these issues, the authors propose a non-digital, experiential learning–based pedagogical approach that systematically integrates ten embodied, interactive activities—such as human wave simulations of algorithms, paper airplane message passing, and spatial constructions of recursive structures—into classroom instruction. By incorporating physical movement and role-playing akin to sports-based engagement, this method transforms the physical classroom space into a scalable, content-aligned teaching tool. Implemented over three consecutive years with more than 500 students, the approach demonstrated significant improvements in learners’ attention, retention of core programming concepts, and post-class reflective capacity, thereby facilitating deeper conceptual internalization.

Technology Category

• Reasoning under Uncertainty: Probabilistic Programming
• Natural Language Processing: Code Generation / Program Synthesis from Natural Language
• Machine Learning: Bio-inspired Learning

Application Category

• User Modeling, Personalization and Recommendation: Practical large-scale studies of user experience
• Graph Algorithms and Modeling for the Web: Efficient manipulation of static and dynamic Web-related graphs
• Security and Privacy: Large-scale security measurements

Abstract

Teaching software development basics to hundreds of students in a frontal setting is cost-efficient and thus still common in universities. However, in a large lecture hall, students can easily get bored, distracted, and disengaged. The frontal setting can also frustrate lecturers since interaction opportunities are limited and hard to scale. Fun activities can activate students and, if well designed, can also help remember and reflect on abstract software development concepts. We present a novel catalogue of ten physical fun activities, developed over years to reflect on basic programming and software development concepts. The catalogue includes the execution of a LA-OLA algorithm as in stadiums, using paper planes to simulate object messages and pointers, and traversing a lecture hall as a tree or a recursive structure. We report our experience of using the activities in a large course with 500+ students three years in a row. We also conducted an interview study with 15 former students of the course and 14 experienced educators from around the globe. The results suggest that the fun activities can enable students to stay focused, remember key concepts, and reflect afterwards. However, keeping the activities concise and clearly linked to the concepts taught seems to be key to their acceptance and effectiveness.

Problem

• large programming courses
• student engagement
• frontal teaching
• classroom interaction
• teaching effectiveness

Innovation

• active learning
• physical computing activities
• large-scale programming education
• conceptual reflection
• engagement strategies