Student's Use of Generative AI as a Support Tool in an Advanced Web Development Course

2025-03-19

AI Summary

This study investigates how advanced undergraduate students with strong programming proficiency engage with generative AI (GenAI) in an upper-level web development course, focusing on its pedagogical affordances and associated risks. Employing a mixed-methods approach—including assignment analysis, reflective journals, tool usage telemetry, and structured surveys—the research identifies significant gains in learning efficiency and development productivity enabled by GenAI. However, students express pronounced concerns regarding overreliance and hallucinated outputs, and uniformly advocate for systematic prompt engineering instruction. As the first empirical investigation targeting high-competency programming learners, this work reveals GenAI’s multifaceted scaffolding role—spanning code generation, debugging support, and conceptual explanation—while highlighting critical cognitive adaptation challenges in complex technical domains. Findings provide empirically grounded evidence and actionable insights for integrating GenAI into computing education, informing curriculum design, instructional scaffolding, and responsible AI literacy development in higher education.

Technology Category

• Natural Language Processing: Code Generation / Program Synthesis from Natural Language
• Humans and AI: Game Design — Procedural Content Generation & Storytelling
• Cognitive Modeling & Cognitive Systems: Computational Creativity

Application Category

• Economics, Online Markets and Human Computation: Economic ramifications for generative AI infrastructure and applications
• Social Networks and Social Media: Generative AI / large language models and their impact on social systems
• Search and Retrieval-Augmented AI: Efficiency and scalability of Web search engines

Abstract

Various studies have studied the impact of Generative AI on Computing Education. However, they have focused on the implications for novice programmers. In this experience report, we analyze the use of GenAI as a support tool for learning, creativity, and productivity in a web development course for undergraduate students with extensive programming experience. We collected diverse data (assignments, reflections, logs, and a survey) and found that students used GenAI on different tasks (code generation, idea generation, etc.) with a reported increase in learning and productivity. However, they are concerned about over-reliance and incorrect solutions and want more training in prompting strategies.

Problem

• Analyzes GenAI use in advanced web development courses.
• Explores GenAI impact on learning, creativity, and productivity.
• Addresses concerns about over-reliance and incorrect AI solutions.

Innovation

• GenAI enhances learning and productivity
• GenAI used for code and idea generation
• Training needed for effective prompting strategies