Exploring the Effects of Grouping by Programming Experience in Q&A Forums

Motivation: Q&A forums are a critical resource for supporting students in large educational environments, yet students often perceive these forums as stressful and report discomfort in participating visibly, especially in classes that are large and have students with varying levels of prior programming experience (PE). Method: We divided students in a CS1 Q&A forum into smaller, homogenous groups based on their PE. We use a mixed-methods approach to compare data from this experience to data from a setting where all students shared a single, large Q&A forum (a “mixed” setting). We quantitatively analyze measures of student engagement and use an open-ended qualitative approach to examine responses about student experience on the forums. This approach helps us identify the motivation behind student decisions to participate in visible or non-visible ways and to evaluate their alignment with theoretical frameworks. Results: In the mixed setting, students frequently use anonymity, with students without PE using anonymity more than students with PE and women using anonymity more than men. In contrast, in the homogenous groups, novices used anonymity less than novices in the mixed setting, while the students in higher-experience groups tended to use it more. We also observe a reduced anonymity usage among women in the homogenous experience groups, suggesting that PE plays a critical role in the observed gender disparities in forum participation. The qualitative analysis provides additional evidence that social status issues and confidence may explain these behavioral patterns. Conclusion: This study highlights the potential benefits and consequences of grouping students by experience. Homogenous PE groups foster increased student comfort and engagement within the Q&A forum for students with less experience, but students with more experience are exposed to more perceived status threats. We discuss how these results align with the theories we used to design the homogenous group setting. This exploration contributes to a deeper understanding of the underlying dynamics shaping student behavior in online learning communities. Educators and platform designers can use these lessons to more effectively create inclusive environments that accommodate diverse student needs and preferences.