AI for connectivism learning: Undergraduate students’ experiences of ChatGPT in advanced programming courses

• Main Authors: GOTTIPATI, Swapna, SHIM, Kyong Jin, SHANKARARAMAN, Venky
• Format: text
• Language: English
• Published: Institutional Knowledge at Singapore Management University 2023
• Subjects: Advanced programming skills; Connectivism learning; Problem solving skills; ChatGPT; Engagement Learning Models; Artificial Intelligence and Robotics; Curriculum and Instruction; Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research
• Online Access: https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/sis_research/8496; https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/context/sis_research/article/9499/viewcontent/AI_for_Connectivism_Learning___Undergraduate_Students__Experience_pv.pdf
• Institution: Singapore Management University

Advanced programming skills are required for computing courses on merging topics, and students often struggle to develop these skills to solve complex problems. To address this challenge, faculty members provide additional lectures, practice sessions, and educational technology tools. This paper discusses the challenges faced by computer science students in developing advanced programming skills and explores the use of AI chatbots, specifically ChatGPT, as a support tool for learning. We study the engagement and effectiveness of ChatGPT in helping students learn advanced programming skills using two engagement learning frameworks (CIE and MELT) for evaluation. The study involves designing a computing lab exercise (design and code questions) for students to complete using ChatGPT and collecting data through surveys. The findings provide initial evidence that ChatGPT can be an effective tool for supporting student learning in advanced programming courses.