Implementing GenAI-Supported Learning in Software Engineering and Computer Science Education using Bloom's Taxonomy
For educators in SE/CS, this provides a scalable, pedagogy-driven framework for responsible GenAI integration, addressing concerns about superficial learning and academic integrity.
This study designed and evaluated a Bloom's taxonomy-aligned framework for guiding generative AI use in software engineering and computer science education. Results showed that students found GenAI most valuable for higher-order cognitive activities and that explicit guidance promoted reflective use, with pedagogical benefits reported alongside challenges in instructional design workload.
Context: Generative AI adoption in software engineering education raises opportunities for learning support alongside concerns about superficial learning and academic integrity. Objective: This study investigates how explicit instructional guidance aligned with Bloom's taxonomy supports responsible GenAI use in SE/CS education, exploring student and instructor perceptions of GenAI-supported learning. Method: We designed a Bloom-aligned GenAI framework that articulated appropriate GenAI roles at different cognitive levels. The framework was embedded in course instructions, labs, and assessment across multiple SE/CS courses at Queen's University Belfast and Azerbaijan Technical University. Data were collected via anonymous questionnaires and learning artifacts, analyzed using thematic analysis with Bloom's taxonomy as an analytic lens. Results: Students perceived GenAI as most valuable for higher-order cognitive activities (analysis, evaluation, reflection) and less suitable for foundational learning. Explicit Bloom-level guidance influenced students to use GenAI reflectively, with delayed or intentional non-use when independent thinking was prioritized. Both students and instructors reported pedagogical benefits alongside challenges in cognitive effort and instructional design workload. Conclusion: GenAI's educational value lies in intentional alignment between cognitive learning goals, instructional guidance, and learner self-regulation. Bloom's taxonomy provides a scalable, pedagogy-driven framework for responsible GenAI use in SE/CS education, offering a practical alternative to enforcement-focused responses.