Teaching Introduction to Programming in the times of AI: A case study of a course re-design
This addresses the challenge for educators and institutions in adapting programming courses to AI advancements, but it is incremental as it builds on existing educational practices.
The paper tackles the problem of integrating AI tools into introductory programming education by reviewing state-of-the-art tools and challenges in course design, learning objectives, and assessment, and provides a case study on re-designing a course to address these issues, serving as a guideline for institutions and teachers.
The integration of AI tools into programming education has become increasingly prevalent in recent years, transforming the way programming is taught and learned. This paper provides a review of the state-of-the-art AI tools available for teaching and learning programming, particularly in the context of introductory courses. It highlights the challenges on course design, learning objectives, course delivery and formative and summative assessment, as well as the misuse of such tools by the students. We discuss ways of re-designing an existing course, re-shaping assignments and pedagogy to address the current AI technologies challenges. This example can serve as a guideline for policies for institutions and teachers involved in teaching programming, aiming to maximize the benefits of AI tools while addressing the associated challenges and concerns.