ChatGPT: Challenges and Benefits in Software Programming for Higher Education

Abstract

ChatGPT is a substantial language model developed by OpenAI, rooted in the GPT-3.5 architecture, with the capacity to generate human-like responses to text-based inputs. ChatGPT serves various purposes, encompassing chatbots, customer service, and personal assistants, which can significantly contribute to sustainability initiatives. Its applications range from language translation and content creation to text summarization. Utilizing ChatGPT offers several advantages, notably its rapid response generation, high accuracy, and its capacity to evolve and improve over time, aligning with sustainability goals for efficiency and innovation. In an educational context, ChatGPT can provide invaluable support to students and educators, aiding in tasks such as generating summaries for extensive texts and addressing subject-related queries. For programming education, ChatGPT can assist students with coding assignments by offering suggestions, hints, and even generating code snippets, fostering sustainable coding practices. Nevertheless, employing ChatGPT in coding education presents challenges, particularly the risk of students becoming overly dependent on AI-generated code and failing to grasp fundamental concepts, which can hinder long-term sustainability in the field. To gauge the viability of ChatGPT in programming education and sustainability, we conducted a Likert scale questionnaire with a group of 40 Brazilian students from March to April 2023. Our primary goal was to assess students’ interest in utilizing ChatGPT as a tool to face programming challenges and problems. Specifically, we aimed to determine their level of inclination towards relying exclusively on ChatGPT during programming classes. In addition to these objectives, we sought to discern not only the positive and beneficial perceptions of using ChatGPT in the classroom but also to investigate its potential impact on learning outcomes and student engagement. Furthermore, we aimed to explore whether participants would consider transitioning to exclusive reliance on ChatGPT in the context of their programming education. Our study revealed that students recognized ChatGPT as an innovative set of AI tools applicable to various classroom contexts, including programming and computer languages, thereby fostering sustainability in the adoption of AI technology for educational purposes. Notably, a majority of students participating in the study expressed a keen interest in employing this tool as a supplementary educational resource in the classroom, promoting sustainable and enhanced learning experiences.