Collaborative Coding with AI

How is generative AI fundamentally changing what it means to learn programming—and to be a programmer? As AI-powered coding tools become increasingly prevalent, we are exploring how these technologies are reshaping learning, practice, and identity across different experience levels, from K–12 students in their first programming course to experienced developers with decades in the field.

We are investigating how programming is shifting from an individual cognitive task to a more collaborative process between humans and AI. Through observations, artifact collection, and interviews with programmers at different stages of development, we are examining how people interact with generative AI tools in their coding work and how these interactions influence their understanding of programming as a practice and their identity as programmers.

We are especially interested in understanding how AI tools can amplify rather than undermine learning across the lifespan, and how educators and organizations might critically evaluate and integrate these new technologies in programming education and professional practice. Our research includes investigations into debugging with AI tutors, the role of generative AI in student-directed creative programming projects, and the broader implications of human-AI collaboration for the future of computing education. This work informs (and is informed by) our teaching, from our course about designing K–12 computer science learning experiences to a new course on programming with AI.