Learning Programming without Teachers: An Ongoing Ethnographic Study at 42

Context: With the ever-evolving software landscape, methods to train software programmers are continuously advancing and evolving. In this investigation, we study the case of 42, a programming school with over 50 campuses worldwide. 42's pedagogical method blends elements of problem-based learning, peer pedagogy, community building, and gamification. Objectives: The goal of the research is twofold: On one hand, to gain a deep understanding of the pedagogical method itself, and on the other hand, to study how its different components affect learning. Method: We adopt an ethnographic qualitative inquiry, with two academic researchers conducting participant observation over a period of six months by using activity theory as theoretical underpinning. Results: Problems of incremental difficulty, albeit challenging, foster virtuous cycles of reinforcing feedback and community building. Gamification and peer learning elements, which are deeply rooted in the carefully crafted educational receipt, further support the pedagogical method. Conclusions: The characteristic nature of 42 positions it as an outlier compared to the recurrent academic setting of frontal lectures followed by a final exam, making it a valuable case study to understand how various pedagogical components may function, interact, and affect student learning.