The Impact of ChatGPT on Students’ Learning Programming Languages

Abstract

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This study addresses the gap in understanding the impact of ChatGPT, on Java programming language education. We examined ChatGPT’s afinity on undergraduate Information Systems students learning Java through a mixed-methods approach. Quantitatively, we assessed constructs like ChatGPT Prompting Skills, Trust, Objective Values, and their relationship with student satisfaction, revealing mixed effectiveness. Qualitatively, we explored students’ perspectives, uncovering insights into ChatGPT’s role in coding support and the nuances of its educational impact. Our findings indicate that while ChatGPT can enhance certain aspects of learning, its effectiveness varies with context and task complexity. Key positive findings from the regression analysis indicated that ChatGPT’s prompting skills positively impacted both Objective and Subjective Values, suggesting a significant role in enhancing students’ understanding and engagement with programming concepts. This positive influence extends to the relationship between Subjective Value and Student Satisfaction, highlighting the importance of students’ subjective experiences in their overall satisfaction with learning programming languages. The study contributes to the evolving discourse on AI in education, highlighting the need to integrate LLMs carefully in educational settings. It underscores the importance of aligning AI tools with specific learning objectives and outlines implications for educators and AI developers in optimizing these tools for educational purposes. © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2024.