The Evolving Usage of GenAI by Computing Students

Fuente: arXiv
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Auteurs principaux: Hou, Irene, Nguyen, Hannah Vy, Man, Owen, MacNeil, Stephen
Format: Preprint
Publié: 2024
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author Hou, Irene
Nguyen, Hannah Vy
Man, Owen
MacNeil, Stephen
author_facet Hou, Irene
Nguyen, Hannah Vy
Man, Owen
MacNeil, Stephen
contents Help-seeking is a critical aspect of learning and problem-solving for computing students. Recent research has shown that many students are aware of generative AI (GenAI) tools; however, there are gaps in the extent and effectiveness of how students use them. With over two years of widespread GenAI usage, it is crucial to understand whether students' help-seeking behaviors with these tools have evolved and how. This paper presents findings from a repeated cross-sectional survey conducted among computing students across North American universities (n=95). Our results indicate shifts in GenAI usage patterns. In 2023, 34.1% of students (n=47) reported never using ChatGPT for help, ranking it fourth after online searches, peer support, and class forums. By 2024, this figure dropped sharply to 6.3% (n=48), with ChatGPT nearly matching online search as the most commonly used help resource. Despite this growing prevalence, there has been a decline in students' hourly and daily usage of GenAI tools, which may be attributed to a common tendency to underestimate usage frequency. These findings offer new insights into the evolving role of GenAI in computing education, highlighting its increasing acceptance and solidifying its position as a key help resource.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2412_16453
institution arXiv
publishDate 2024
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle The Evolving Usage of GenAI by Computing Students
Hou, Irene
Nguyen, Hannah Vy
Man, Owen
MacNeil, Stephen
Computers and Society
Artificial Intelligence
K.3.2
Help-seeking is a critical aspect of learning and problem-solving for computing students. Recent research has shown that many students are aware of generative AI (GenAI) tools; however, there are gaps in the extent and effectiveness of how students use them. With over two years of widespread GenAI usage, it is crucial to understand whether students' help-seeking behaviors with these tools have evolved and how. This paper presents findings from a repeated cross-sectional survey conducted among computing students across North American universities (n=95). Our results indicate shifts in GenAI usage patterns. In 2023, 34.1% of students (n=47) reported never using ChatGPT for help, ranking it fourth after online searches, peer support, and class forums. By 2024, this figure dropped sharply to 6.3% (n=48), with ChatGPT nearly matching online search as the most commonly used help resource. Despite this growing prevalence, there has been a decline in students' hourly and daily usage of GenAI tools, which may be attributed to a common tendency to underestimate usage frequency. These findings offer new insights into the evolving role of GenAI in computing education, highlighting its increasing acceptance and solidifying its position as a key help resource.
title The Evolving Usage of GenAI by Computing Students
topic Computers and Society
Artificial Intelligence
K.3.2
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2412.16453