Bridging the Skills Gap: A Course Model for Modern Generative AI Education

TL;DR

This paper presents a new course model designed to teach generative AI applications to computer science students, addressing the skills gap and promoting responsible AI use in education and industry.

Contribution

It introduces a novel course framework for generative AI education in higher education, with evidence of its effectiveness from student surveys and reflections.

Findings

Students found the course valuable and effective

The course improved understanding of generative AI applications

Recommendations for course replication are provided

Abstract

Research on how the popularization of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools impacts learning environments has led to hesitancy among educators to teach these tools in classrooms, creating two observed disconnects. Generative AI competency is increasingly valued in industry but not in higher education, and students are experimenting with generative AI without formal guidance. The authors argue students across fields must be taught to responsibly and expertly harness the potential of AI tools to ensure job market readiness and positive outcomes. Computer Science trajectories are particularly impacted, and while consistently top ranked U.S. Computer Science departments teach the mechanisms and frameworks underlying AI, few appear to offer courses on applications for existing generative AI tools. A course was developed at a private research university to teach undergraduate and graduate Computer Science students applications for generative AI tools in software development. Two mixed method surveys indicated students overwhelmingly found the course valuable and effective. Co-authored by the instructor and one of the graduate students, this paper explores the context, implementation, and impact of the course through data analysis and reflections from both perspectives. It additionally offers recommendations for replication in and beyond Computer Science departments. This is the extended version of this paper to include technical appendices.