repl.it is a very popular online collaborative programming integrated development environment. repl.it supports over 50 programming languages and brings online collaborative programming to a new level.
In this article we will explore how we used repl.it as a mechanism that supports online activities during a live webinar session. In an undergraduate freshers programming module we used to use Microsoft Visual Studio in physical lab session. The current online delivery methods that we are using forced us to rethink about the Integrated Development Environments (IDE) that we should use. Essentially we wanted to use an IDE that allows online web based programming and one that supports online collaborative programming.
We have had experience using repl.it in the past and we have used it widely at SLIIT Faculty of Computing for several programming modules. In the past we have used it as a way to share code we academics write to the students and also as a way for self assessed labs which students are required to submit. repl.it's ability to share code seamlessly and allowing students to change the code the teachers write is the reason that we have used in the past. It also has a unique way of setting up assignments which can be auto graded using a feature called classrooms.
During live webinar lectures that we conducted through Microsoft Teams Live Events and zoom we got students to write code using repl.it. The students had to submit their program code by copy pasting the url of their code to Slido. This is a Q&A tool that we used during the live lectures.
This allowed us to show and run programming code that the students did during the live webinar session.
Allowing us to look at student submissions, discussing it, running the programs and also modifying the programs submitted during the live webinar made a compelling interactive session allowing students to try out the programming concepts thought during the live webinar itself.
Typically this would have been done as an asynchronous activity alone, where students would try out programming exercises after the lecture is over. Students also had the option of clarifying doubts that they had by asking questions directly using Slido.
70% of the student population felt that the repl.it platform was effective for coding during the live webinar. We suspect that the 25.7% who were neutral might have failed submit a correct coding solution to the problems we gave. As we continue to use this platform we feel that students will be more comfortable with the programming environment and will be able benefit more.
What was amazing was that we introduced this environment during their first live webinar, the students were able to setup their accounts get used to the environment and submit code for a new programming language that they just learnt C++. Usually students are introduced to programming environments during physical lab sessions. A sample first program submitted by one of the student is given below.
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