17 papers
Analyzing the Difficulty of Programming Assignments with Interpretable Knowledge Component Metrics
Tsvetomila Mihaylova, Jing Fan, Bita Akram +4
This research paper examines how Knowledge Components (KCs) - fine-grained concepts or skills required to solve programming tasks - can be used as interpretable signals for underst…
Automated Recommendation of Programming Learning Content Using Pattern-based Knowledge Components
Muntasir Hoq, Griffin Pitts, Zhangqi Duan +5
Introductory programming instruction relies on hands-on practice and short learning activities to support mastery of foundational concepts. Although many such learning resources ex…
Automated Knowledge Component Generation for Interpretable Knowledge Tracing in Coding Problems
Zhangqi Duan, Nigel Fernandez, Arun Balajiee Lekshmi Narayanan +5
Knowledge components (KCs) mapped to problems help model student learning, tracking their mastery levels on fine-grained skills thereby facilitating personalized learning and feedb…
The Effects of Structured LLM-Generated Feedback on Programming Assignment Performance
Tsvetomila Mihaylova, Evanfiya Logacheva, Arto Hellas +6
When programming students encounter errors in their code, compiler messages or static analysis output often provide limited guidance, particularly for novice programmers. Personali…
Retrieval-Augmented Tutoring for Algorithm Tracing and Problem-Solving in AI Education
Mragisha Jain, Tirth Bhatt, Griffin Pitts +6
Students learning algorithms often need support as they interpret traces, debug reasoning errors, and apply procedures across unfamiliar problem instances. In this paper, we presen…
An Explainable AI Assistant for Introductory Programming Education: Improving Feedback Reliability with Instructor-AI Collaboration
Muntasir Hoq, Griffin Pitts, Bradford Mott +6
Active learning is widely recognized as an effective approach for improving learning outcomes in introductory programming courses. However, insufficient instructional support often…