Decoding Debugging Instruction: A Systematic Literature Review of Debugging Interventions

Abstract

Students learning computer science frequently struggle with debugging errors in their code. These struggles can have significant downstream effects—negatively influencing how students assess their programming ability and contributing to their decision to drop out of CS courses. However, debugging instruction is often an overlooked topic, and instructors report feeling unaware of effective approaches to teach debugging. Within the literature, research on the topic is sporadic, and though there are rigorous and insightful studies to be found, there is a need to synthesize instructional approaches for debugging. In this paper, we review research from 2010 to 2022 on debugging interventions. We summarize the common pedagogical approaches for learning and categorize how these target specific cognitive and non-cognitive debugging skills, such as self-efficacy and emotion regulation. We also present a summary of assessment methods and their outcomes in order to discuss intervention efficacy and directions for further research. Our sample displays a diverse variety of debugging interventions and pedagogical approaches, ranging from games to unplugged activities. An evaluation of paper results also presents encouraging findings, revealing several interventions that improved debugging accuracy and learning. Still, we notice gaps in interventions addressing non-cognitive debugging skills, and observe limited success in guiding students toward adopting systematic debugging strategies. The review concludes with a discussion of future directions and implications for researchers and instructors in the field.