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Open research questions in Teaching and Learning Programming

776 gap statements mined from Teaching and Learning Programming papers in our 7.9M-paper local library, which holds 4,427 papers on the topic — drawn mostly from each paper's own stated research gap, future-work, challenge and limitation notes, and its abstract. The ones listed below are a selection still marked open; each names the study that raised it, with a DOI link where the paper has one.

Choosing where to publish on Teaching and Learning Programming? See the ranked Computer Science journals.

What the literature leaves open

  • The paper identifies the challenge of preparing students for a world where conventional coding is no longer the primary means of, or barrier to, implementation. It highlights the need for faculty to rethink pedagogy for an AI-augmented era.

    The Democratization of Computational Thinking: Education, Practice, and Our AI-Augmented Future · 2026 · DOI

  • The paper highlights the need for universities to redesign curricula around AI literacy, fluency, and mastery.

    The Democratization of Computational Thinking: Education, Practice, and Our AI-Augmented Future · 2026 · DOI

  • The lack of a control group limits causal inference. The study faced the challenge of integrating AiSim into routine lessons rather than delivering it as a standalone AI literacy course. The research had to preserve the natural instructional arrangement by keeping students in their original classes.

    Situated AI Literacy Change Through GenAI-Supported Simulation in Secondary Physics: Field Evidence from Curriculum-Integrated Inquiry · 2026 · DOI

  • The literature lacks theory-based frameworks for programming pedagogy. Education theory-driven design frameworks for LLMs remain underdeveloped. There is a need to reconsider the components of pedagogy in relation to LLMs.

    Large language model-assisted modern programming pedagogy model: a perspective on teaching programming in the era of LLMs · 2026 · DOI

  • The lack of a systematic approach to integrating digital tools and GenAI in programming education. The need for a pedagogical framework that aligns digital tools with cognitive skills such as logical and algorithmic thinking.

    A Digital Ecosystem Model for Developing Logical Thinking in Novice Programmers: Integrating Visualization Technologies and GenAI · 2025 · DOI

  • There has been no study examining the effectiveness of an accessible computing curriculum for students with ASD on their learning of computational thinking concepts. The existing curriculums may not be suitable for students with ASD, and there is a need to develop accessible curriculums.

    The Impact of a Computing Curriculum Accessible to Students with ASD on the Development of Computing Artifacts · 2024 · DOI

  • The balance between automation and preserving essential programming skills is a challenge introduced by AI tools. The potential for over-reliance on AI tools and a limited understanding of core programming concepts are also concerns.

    The Good and Bad of AI Tools in Novice Programming Education · 2024 · DOI

  • There is a need to investigate the impact of various learning style dimensions on the effectiveness of live coding.

    Learning Styles Impact Students’ Perceptions on Active Learning Methodologies: A Case Study on the Use of Live Coding and Short Programming Exercises · 2024 · DOI

  • The current research on gender differences in computational thinking skills among primary and secondary school students is imbalanced across regions and age groups. The development of a clearer definition of computational thinking is required for a more specific identification of gender differences.

    Gender Differences in Computational Thinking Skills among Primary and Secondary School Students: A Systematic Review · 2024 · DOI

  • The lack of consensus on the operationalization of computational thinking. The need for a systematic review of computational thinking assessment instruments. The importance of deepening the understanding of teaching and assessment processes from the early years of schooling.

    Systematic Review of Instruments to Assess Computational Thinking in Early Years of Schooling · 2024 · DOI

  • The need to address educational gaps and adapt to evolving demands in the VET domain. The challenge of integrating CT into VET programs to prepare students for the contemporary workforce.

    Empowering Vocational Students: A Research-Based Framework for Computational Thinking Integration · 2024 · DOI

  • The lack of integration of CT into VET programs. The need for a framework that connects CT practices and integration elements to the engineering design process. The limited understanding of the intersection of CT and STEM education in the context of VET.

    Empowering Vocational Students: A Research-Based Framework for Computational Thinking Integration · 2024 · DOI

  • The lack of interest in programming among many students. The need for improved methods for teaching programming to beginners.

    Cultivating Creativity and Improving Coding Skills in Primary School Students via Domain-General and Domain-Specific Learning Scaffoldings · 2024 · DOI

  • The study was conducted in an extracurricular context, which may have limitations. The quasi-experimental design was chosen due to the lack of feasibility of random assignment to control and experimental groups. The study had to ensure the safety of the children while interacting with the robot.

    High-Capacity Robots in Early Education: Developing Computational Thinking with a Voice-Controlled Collaborative Robot · 2024 · DOI

  • The lack of automation in the assessment process of complex programming assignments. The need for a defined assessment process that can be used to grade complex programming assignments. The challenge of ensuring grading quality while speeding up the assessment process.

    Assessment Automation of Complex Student Programming Assignments · 2024 · DOI

  • The gap between the need for creative problem-solving skills in the digital age and the traditional education systems. The lack of a comprehensive framework that integrates CT education, creativity, Bloom’s Taxonomy, and Project-Based Instruction.

    Computational Thinking (CT) towards Creative Action: Developing a Project-Based Instructional Taxonomy (PBIT) in AI Education · 2024 · DOI

  • There is a lack of understanding of students' perspectives on AI-driven conversational agents in learning. The ethical implementation of AI-driven educational tools is a concern, and there is a need to address issues of privacy, surveillance, and algorithmic bias.

    Integrating Youth Perspectives into the Design of AI-Supported Collaborative Learning Environments · 2024 · DOI

  • Balancing teachers' visions with practical instructional needs. Finding the time needed to dedicate to computing as a new representational tool. Critically thinking about what to leave out, both in physics and computing.

    Expanding Models for Physics Teaching: A Framework for the Integration of Computational Modeling · 2024 · DOI

  • Limited research on the integration of computational modeling into physics education. A need for frameworks that reflect teachers' values and goals. A lack of understanding of how teachers conceptualize computational modeling in physics.

    Expanding Models for Physics Teaching: A Framework for the Integration of Computational Modeling · 2024 · DOI

  • Many teachers do not regularly integrate modelling tasks into their lessons. The openness of modelling tasks has a limited impact on performance. Mathematical and contextual complexities play more critical roles than the openness of modelling tasks.

    Mathematical Modelling Abilities of Artificial Intelligence Tools: The Case of ChatGPT · 2024 · DOI

  • The lack of a control group limits causal inference - The study was conducted in a single urban secondary school in Beijing, China - The study used a one-group embedded mixed-methods pretest-posttest field…

    Situated AI Literacy Change Through GenAI-Supported Simulation in Secondary Physics: Field Evidence from Curriculum-Integrated Inquiry · 2026 · DOI

  • Future studies should test the effectiveness of the mechanisms proposed in the LAMPP…

    Large language model-assisted modern programming pedagogy model: a perspective on teaching programming in the era of LLMs · 2026 · DOI

  • Investigating the long-term effects of the proposed approach, - Comparing the proposed approach with other instructional models, - Exploring the use of GenAI in other educational…

    A Digital Ecosystem Model for Developing Logical Thinking in Novice Programmers: Integrating Visualization Technologies and GenAI · 2025 · DOI

  • Further research to fully understand the capabilities and limitations of AI tools and ensure their effective use in education.

    Mathematical Modelling Abilities of Artificial Intelligence Tools: The Case of ChatGPT · 2024 · DOI

  • Teaching CT effectively in Early Childhood Education presents unique challenges due to the developmental stages of young learners - Making CT concepts accessible and relevant to young learners' cognitive abilities - Preparing preservice teachers to incorporate robotics and CT into their future…

    AI-Generated Context for Teaching Robotics to Improve Computational Thinking in Early Childhood Education · 2024 · DOI

Most-cited papers in Teaching and Learning Programming

Most recent work

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Open questions raised by papers listed on this page include: (1) There is a need to reconsider the components of pedagogy in relation to LLMs (“Large language model-assisted modern programming pedagogy model: a perspective…”, 2026); (2) The lack of a systematic approach to integrating digital tools and GenAI in programming education (“A Digital Ecosystem Model for Developing Logical Thinking in Novice…”, 2025); (3) The existing curriculums may not be suitable for students with ASD, and there is a need to develop accessible curriculums (“The Impact of a Computing Curriculum Accessible to Students with ASD on the…”, 2024); (4) There is a need to investigate the impact of various learning style dimensions on the effectiveness of live coding (“Learning Styles Impact Students’ Perceptions on Active Learning Methodologies:…”, 2024); (5) The lack of consensus on the operationalization of computational thinking (“Systematic Review of Instruments to Assess Computational Thinking in Early…”, 2024). 776 gap statements have been mined from Teaching and Learning Programming papers in our 7.9M-paper local library, which holds 4,427 papers on the topic; the gaps come from whichever of those papers state one. They are mostly the research gaps the authors state and the papers' abstracts, plus future-work, limitations and challenges passages. The ones listed below are a selection still marked open; each names the study that raised it, with a DOI link where the paper has one, so you can read the original claim in context.

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