In this paper the influence of the learning context is considered when learning to program. For the purposes of this study, the lectures, study process, previous knowledge or teaching experience and tests comprised the learning context. The article argues that students' experiences of the learning context have important implications for teaching and learning. Therefore, the solutions that most students work towards in order to solve a problem are an indication of an essential aspect: the learning context. The study attempts to understand the influence that the learning context has on pre- and in-service teachers learning to program. The participants who took a course in Java programming were asked to keep a journal, which indicated their reflections throughout the course. These reflections together with interview transcripts of some participants were used in the analysis. The instructors of the course were also part of this qualitative study. Activity theory was used as a basis for the analysis. It was found that both the problem and the learning context have a profound effect on students' understanding and performance. (Contains 1 table and 1 figure.)