Evaluating the Impact of ChatGPT on Programming Learning Outcomes in a Big Data Course Articles uri icon

publication date

  • July 2024

start page

  • 863

end page

  • 872

issue

  • 4

volume

  • 40

International Standard Serial Number (ISSN)

  • 0949-149X

abstract

  • Recent advances in Generative Artificial Intelligence are leading to major changes in education, both in the way educators teach
    and in the way students learn. For example, Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) chatbots, such as ChatGPT, can help
    students by assisting them in problem solving or supporting them in code development tasks. This article aims precisely to explore
    the effect of ChatGPT in supporting students with different levels of programming experience in a course on Big Data. A Big Data
    challenge was carried out during one of the sessions with 31 students from different backgrounds. Overall, the students were able to
    solve the challenge, and the results of the pre- and post-tests indicate that the students improved their grades, i.e. they learned to
    solve the programming exercise. This quasi-experimental study shows that ChatGPT can be a valuable tool as an assistant in the
    field of data science and programming for students learning to program (even for the first time), whether they come from
    engineering programs or other completely different disciplines. It is important not to forget the role of the professor in guiding the
    students towards the correct use of these GenAI tools.

subjects

  • Computer Science
  • Telecommunications

keywords

  • generative artificial intelligence; chatgpt; programming; python; pyspark; big data