Analyzing the Effectiveness of PBL in Software Programming Education: A Qualitative Study in a Heterogeneous Class

• André Luiz Bartolomeu Ribeiro UFPE
• Simone Cristiane dos Santos Lima UFPE

DOI: https://doi.org/10.5753/educomp.2025.5374

Abstract

The teaching of software programming faces significant challenges due to the diversity of languages, paradigms, and the constant technological evolution. Active approaches, such as Problem-Based Learning (PBL), have been adopted to overcome these challenges, but their effectiveness may vary depending on the context and the students’ skills. This study investigates students’ perceptions of PBL in a heterogeneous software programming class, analyzing how the aspects of problem, content, environment, human capital, and assessment affect its effectiveness. The results indicate that PBL contributes to the improvement of knowledge retention, skills, and attitudes, although some students face difficulties in the aspects of problem and environment. The study aims to identify more motivating and collaborative teaching strategies in computer science education.

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