Pair/Trio Programming Overview

The provided activities evaluates students in a Computer Science Project-based learning course. It focuses on planning, code, debugging and reviews to create a holistic profile of each student’s computer science and software engineering skills. It is best to work on these in pairs.

🐍 Snake Game Debugging Session

Transform pair/trio programming from theory to practice with an interactive Snake Game debugging challenge. This hands-on activity walks through the entire collaboration workflow while fixing real code issues.

Problem - Debug Snake Game

Your team has inherited a Snake Game with multiple needs that prevent could improve gameplay. Your mission: work as a pair/trio to identify, document, and improve these issues using proper Agile methodologies.

xSnake Game Improvements:

  • Background and Color could be improved
  • Apple is white and could be red
  • Score could look better
  • Game speed could have more steps
  • …

Activation - Learn How to Play Snake

Try debugging, to see where code is that activates features

Demonstration - Workflow with Mermaid Diagram

Follow this debugging workflow as a team:

flowchart TD
    A[🎮 Play Snake Game] --> B{Bug Found?}
    B -->|Yes| C[📝 Create GitHub Issue]
    B -->|No| D[✅ Game Working]
    
    C --> E[🏷️ Add to Kanban Board]
    E --> F[🎯 Set Breakpoints]
    F --> G[👥 Live Share Debug Session]
    
    G --> H[🔍 Step Through Code]
    H --> I[🛠️ Implement Fix]
    I --> J[🧪 Pair Test Solution]
    
    J --> K{Fix Works?}
    K -->|Yes| L[📤 Commit & Push]
    K -->|No| H
    
    L --> M[📋 Update Burndown]
    M --> N[🔄 Code Review]
    N --> O[✅ Close Issue]
    
    style A fill:#2d4a3d,color:#ffffff
    style G fill:#1e3a5f,color:#ffffff
    style J fill:#1a3a4a,color:#ffffff
    style O fill:#2d4a3d,color:#ffffff

Application - Debugging Practice Session

Step 1: Create Issues for Each Bug Type

Use this template for GitHub Issues:

Issue Template:

**Bug Title**: [Specific issue, e.g., "Snake passes through walls"]

**Description**: 
- What should happen: [Expected behavior]
- What actually happens: [Current broken behavior]
- Steps to reproduce: [How to trigger the bug]

**Acceptance Criteria**:
- [ ] [Specific fix requirement]
- [ ] [Test case to verify fix]

**Debug Strategy**:
- [ ] Set breakpoint at [specific function]
- [ ] Check [specific variable/condition]
- [ ] Test edge case: [specific scenario]

Step 2: Burndown Planning

Create a burndown list for your debugging session:

Bug Priority Issue Estimated Time Assigned To Status
🔴 High CHange Apple 30 min Pair A To Do
🟡 Medium Background Modification 20 min Pair B To Do
🟢 Low Score display update 15 min Trio To Do

Step 3: Live Share Debugging Protocol

Driver/Navigator Rotation:

  1. Driver (5 min): Controls keyboard, sets breakpoints
  2. Navigator (5 min): Guides debugging strategy, reads code
  3. Observer (5 min): Documents findings, updates issues

Debugging Checklist:

  • Set breakpoint at change location
  • Step through code with step or continue
  • Check variable values at each step
  • Identify the area to change
  • Discuss fix with team before implementing
  • Test change immediately after implementation

Why? These steps ensure your work is organized, efficient, and quality. The provided infographics serve as examples of how your team should organize and divide work.

Start Learning to Code Here:

Snake Game Debugging Evaluation Table

Track your team’s performance through the debugging session:

Skill Mastered (Y/N) Rank (1-4) Ratio Notes/Evidence
Planning        
GitHub Issues [ ] 0 0.0 Created clear bug reports with reproduction steps
Kanban Board [ ] 0 0.0 Moved issues through debugging workflow stages
Burndown Lists [ ] 0 0.0 Tracked time estimates vs actual debugging time
Code        
Live Share [ ] 0 0.0 Collaborated effectively during debugging sessions
Commits [ ] 0 0.0 Made focused commits for each bug fix
Branch Mgmt [ ] 0 0.0 Created feature branches for each bug fix
Forks/PRs [ ] 0 0.0 Submitted PRs with clear fix descriptions
Code Review        
Comments [ ] 0 0.0 Left helpful debugging notes in code
Pair Testing [ ] 0 0.0 Tested each fix thoroughly with teammate
Debugging [ ] 0 0.0 Used breakpoints and step-through effectively
Code Review [ ] 0 0.0 Reviewed teammate’s fixes before merging
Total 0 0 0.0  
Average   0.0 0.0  

Reflection Questions

After completing the Snake Game debugging session:

  1. Which debugging technique was most effective for your team?
  2. How did the driver/navigator rotation impact your problem-solving?
  3. What type of bug was hardest to identify and why?
  4. How did using breakpoints change your debugging approach?
  5. What would you do differently in your next debugging session?