Agile development spikes applied to computer science education

Spikes are an agile software development technique used by software teams to investigate, close gaps and reduce risk. Computer science education can benefit from the application of agile techniques. In this paper we document our definition of spikes, adapted from agile software development practice, applied to computer science education across a number of different units. Our view is that spikes align well with many educational objectives. We also reflect on our educational experiences to present guidance on how and why spikes might be applied, including specific benefits, limitations and drawbacks.