Multimodal learning analytics of collaborative patterns during pair programming in higher education

Pair programming (PP), as a mode of collaborative problem solving (CPS) in computer programming education, asks two students work in a pair to co-construct knowledge and solve problems. Considering the complex multimodality of pair programming caused by students’ discourses, behaviors, and socio-emotions, it is of critical importance to examine their collaborative patterns from a holistic, multimodal, dynamic perspective. But there is a lack of research investigating the collaborative patterns generated by the multimodality. This research applied multimodal learning analytics (MMLA) to collect 19 undergraduate student pairs’ multimodal process and products data to examine different collaborative patterns based on the quantitative, structural, and transitional characteristics. The results revealed four collaborative patterns (i.e., a consensus-achieved pattern, an argumentation-driven pattern, an individual-oriented pattern, and a trial-and-error pattern), associated with different levels of process and summative performances. Theoretical, pedagogical, and analytical implications were provided to guide the future research and practice.