Test-driven learning in early programming courses

Coercing new programmers to adopt disciplined develop-ment practices such as thorough unit testing is a challenging endeavor. Test-driven development (TDD) has been pro-posed as a solution to improve both software design and testing. Test-driven learning (TDL) has been proposed as a pedagogical approach for teaching TDD without imposing significant additional instruction time. This research evaluates the effects of students using a test-first (TDD) versus test-last approach in early programming courses, and considers the use of TDL on a limited basis in CS1 and CS2. Software testing, programmer produc-tivity, programmer performance, and programmer opinions are compared between test-first and test-last programming groups. Results from this research indicate that a test-first approach can increase student testing and programmer per-formance, but that early programmers are very reluctant to adopt a test-first approach, even after having positive expe-riences using TDD. Further, this research demonstrates that TDL can be applied in CS1/2, but suggests that a more per-vasive implementation of TDL may be necessary to motivate and establish disciplined testing practice among early pro-grammers