Peer assessment to promote deep learning and to reduce a gender gap in the traditional introductory programming course

Peer assessment mechanism is becoming increasingly important in different computer programming courses to give students opportunities to learn from each other, to improve the learning experience and to reach efficient learning outcomes. Nevertheless, new methodological approaches developed to help students in computer programming courses have had to deal with a thorough study of the aspects related to the gender difference in this context. The paper presents a web-based system, which improved students’ program skills by reviewing peers’ source codes and delivering feedback to peers. The purpose was to provide evidence that peer assessment in computer programming has a positive instructive effect. Moreover, we want to investigate if there is a gender gap in the traditional introductory programming course and how can we use peer assessment principles to reduce it.