Cooperative learning techniques in CS1

A set of cooperative learning exercises were designed for use in a Java-based CS1 course. The exercises used specific roles to focus students' attention on key concepts of the Java language, and on key mental processes of programming and problem solving. A controlled experiment was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of this approach. The results show that the cooperative learning experience had a significant positive effect on student performance, and may have been of special benefit to women and minority students.