Artificial intelligence is rapidly transforming the field of computer science since the arrival of the generative chatbot ChatGPT in 2023. This has led Florida Atlantic University professors to change their computer science instruction with AI’s applications in mind.
Computer science professors at FAU acknowledge the expanding role AI is taking, as well as the concerns attributed to these changes. In response, they are adjusting their instruction by promoting AI literacy education and creating opportunities to apply the tool to assignments, allowing students to build skills they will continue to use after graduation.
Sareh Taebi, a computer science professor at FAU, states that fundamental theory is no longer sufficient, but students must also be able to elevate any task because of AI’s capabilities. “We already understand the huge impact of AI. We are changing the way we teach. We are changing the way we assign assignments, the topics we cover, the expectations, even the exams we hold are changing,” she said.
Those working in the computer industry must now adjust their own roles to fill in where AI cannot, according to Carlotta Berry, a professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology in Indiana.
“If your degree is purely to do programming, that’s going to be a problem,” Berry stated. “What you need to be doing is elevating your skill set to do something that AI cannot do well.”
With the shifts that came with the rise of AI, faculty and students alike agree that changes need to be made to ensure computer science students are still receiving an education that will benefit them in their future careers.
Taebi aims to encourage the use of AI while fostering awareness of how to use it in conjunction with learned skills.
“A typical assignment that I would assign three years ago, and students would have to work, and nowadays they can feed it through AI, and get the answer right out. So how can I create an assignment that requires creativity on top of that? So these are all the changes, and we are actually very hard thinking about it and trying to implement it,” she said.
Additionally, some faculty at FAU state that choosing to embrace AI in the curriculum is also very important, with an emphasis on knowing when and how to use it.
“How you will use it is really more important than whether we use it or not. There is no point in banning these tools for students,” said Mohammad Ilyas, a professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science. “I think we should be ethically and morally sound to use these tools.”
According to Golden Madume, FAU’s Career Center liaison of the College of Engineering and Computer Science, the university maintains AI literacy resources that outline its use within the university’s community. The website has both AI tools and education, as well as details of the applications of AI on campus. “Universities can continue to embrace AI literacy to help students prepare and adapt,” Madume stated.
FAU has also edited the computer science degree programs to open up new opportunities to learn about AI. In a University Undergraduate Programs Committee meeting in March 2024, members of the committee discussed changes to what the College of Engineering offers, including an AI for Cybersecurity course and certificate.
The college also regularly hosts courses and bootcamps, allowing students to learn about the applications of AI, according to Madume. These courses are free for students and faculty.
One student described an area where FAU can further improve its education alongside the changes already being made. “I feel like it’s not stressed upon when it comes to learning how to collaborate with your peers,” stated Caleb Morvan, a senior in the computer science program. “If you know how to do a certain task, it’s good, but collaborating with your peers to do it more efficiently is better.”
He also emphasized the importance of knowing how to engage with a problem alongside others, as “that’s one of the things you’re going to have to do when you’re on the job.” Because teams always have varying amounts of experience and specialties, it is difficult for AI to work collaboratively. This is where students must fill in the gap and be able to communicate and discuss their approaches and decisions with teammates, he said.
Despite how the field is transforming, Madume has high hopes for FAU’s students. “I see so much strength in our students, so I believe they are ready,” he stated. “Our students have come of age in a very dynamic world; they have just survived the disruptions that came with COVID before the acceleration of generative AI, so I believe students are accustomed to change and uncertainty.”
Valerie Fils-Aime is a Contributing Writer for the University Press. For information regarding this or other stories, email [email protected].