Live coding prompts engagement, but not necessarily grades

Live coding has gained its prominence in Computer Science (CS) classrooms as it enhances learning experiences by providing real-time demonstrations of programming and debugging during lectures. However, live coding may also present challenges to the effectiveness and inclusiveness of the classroom environment. This experience report presents the use of live coding in an introductory level CS course to better understand its impact on novice learners and their perceptions of the strategy. We conducted a between-subjects study at a public university in the United States across two course offerings. Specifically, the instructor taught the same course in two consecutive quarters: one with live coding and one without. Through assignment and exam scores, grades, and surveys, we compared data from students who experienced live coding with those who did not. We found that while live coding prompted engagement and interaction, and students believed that it helped them learn better, there was no statistically significant difference in course performance in terms of assignment and exam scores, nor in final grades. Additionally, most students prefer to keep live coding in lectures despite the challenges it presents. We also shared challenges, lessons, and practical instructional strategies learned from this experience, in the hope that they will contribute to developing more engaging and inclusive learning experiences in CS classrooms.