Student Reflections on Self-Initiated GenAI Use in HCI Education

TL;DR

This study investigates how students use GenAI tools in HCI education, highlighting benefits in creativity and efficiency, but also concerns about superficial learning and over-reliance, suggesting a need for balanced integration.

Contribution

It provides empirical insights into students' self-initiated GenAI use in HCI education and discusses implications for pedagogical practices.

Findings

GenAI stimulates creativity and speeds up design iterations.

Students use GenAI mainly in prototyping and ideation phases.

Concerns include shallow learning and reliance on GenAI.

Abstract

This study explores students' self-initiated use of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) tools in an interactive systems design class. Through 12 group interviews, students revealed the dual nature of GenAI in (1) stimulating creativity and (2) speeding up design iterations, alongside concerns over its potential to cause shallow learning and reliance. GenAI's benefits were pronounced in the execution phase of design, aiding rapid prototyping and ideation, while its use in initial insight generation posed risks to depth and reflective practice. This reflection highlights the complex role of GenAI in Human-Computer Interaction education, emphasizing the need for balanced integration to leverage its advantages without compromising fundamental learning outcomes.