An AI system for coaching novice programmers

Abstract

We inhabit a century where every job will be technical. In the 21st century, learning to program a computer is empowerment. Programming instruction teaches procedural and functional thinking, project management and time management, skills that are essential components of an empowered individual. Programming is the power to create, the power to change and the power to influence. Today’s students regardless of their field of study or need this fundamental knowledge. Rapidly giving students meaningful feedback is a fundamental component of an effective educational experience. A common problem in modern education is scalability, as class size increases an instructor’s ability to provide meaningful feedback decreases. We report on an online Artificial Intelligence (AI) system capable of providing insightful narrative based coaching to beginning programmers. We document system tests to ensure that: it generates a unique response to every input, makes responses in real time, and is deployable online.