Artificial intelligence is rapidly changing the landscape of many professions, including software development. As large language models are now able to generate code quickly, educators at Arizona State University (ASU) are adjusting their teaching methods to ensure students still learn the fundamentals of programming.
In the School of Computing and Augmented Intelligence at ASU’s Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering, faculty such as Erik Trickel are revising how core courses prepare students for the workforce. Trickel, an assistant teaching professor, has restructured CSE 240 Introduction to Programming Languages into a hybrid, flipped classroom that emphasizes group work and active problem-solving.
“Computer science isn’t something you can half-get,” Trickel says. “You need to be able to sit down and not only write the code, but also know why it works. My goal was to build a class that supports that kind of deep, non-negotiable learning in a way that is supportive and fun.”
Trickel worked with instructional innovation coaches Stefani Jenkins and Jonathan Baek from the Fulton Schools Learning and Teaching Hub to move away from traditional lectures. Students now collaborate in small groups during class, each supported by a staff member or teaching assistant who ensures everyone participates.
A key component of this approach is mastery-based grading. Students must complete live programming challenges in a proctored setting and may attempt them as many times as needed until they succeed.
“There’s no way to fake it,” Trickel says. “You can’t just memorize answers or copy code from online. You have to demonstrate the skill.”
This system allows for repeated testing sessions each week, with each attempt generating new variations on core concepts. According to Trickel, this shift has changed classroom culture: “Struggle isn’t failure anymore,” he says. “It’s just part of the process.”
Students have responded positively to these changes. Chelsea Allyson Angeles, specializing in cybersecurity, says group work offers valuable perspectives: “We all have different backgrounds and different ways of approaching problems. When you are thinking alone, you have no access to other perspectives. But in groups, we swap ideas and help each other.” She adds that while AI tools are helpful, they do not replace learning from peers: “AI has a lot of knowledge,” Angeles says. “But it’s not always offered in a way that’s as accessible as learning from another person.”
Sophomore Mahin Patel found the course fostered friendships alongside technical skills: “The class really makes learning fun,” Patel says. “I’ve met people I know I’ll stay in contact with even after it ends.”
Junior Darya Riazati sees real-world relevance: “Working in these kinds of groups better prepares us for what’s out there,” Riazati says. “It emulates styles like agile or scrum, and gives us experience using team members as resources.”
The course encourages former students to return as mentors or teaching assistants (TAs). These TAs receive training not only in content but also leadership skills aimed at supporting collaboration within student groups.
Sriharsha Silasagaram returned as a TA after taking the course last year: “The class was one of my favorites,” he says. “I wanted to come back and offer the same support I received to other students.” Trickel believes this cycle strengthens both mentors and learners: “The best way to solidify your own knowledge is to teach it,” he says. “When students step into that role, they not only help others, they become much stronger programmers themselves.”
Jenkins notes that preparing TAs for mentorship was vital: “We really wanted these student leaders to feel well-supported to run these groups,” Jenkins says. “That meant giving them training not just on the material but also on how to ask good questions and draw out contributions from everyone at the table.”
Trickel emphasizes that while generative AI can support learning, students must develop their own coding abilities: “If you let AI do the thinking for you, you’re not actually learning,” he says. “We want our graduates to be the ones guiding technology, not the other way around.”
This focus on innovation aligns with ASU’s broader mission; Arizona State University has been recognized as number one in innovation for eight consecutive years by U.S. News & World Report.
According to Trickel, CSE 240 aims beyond technical knowledge: “Students leave this class knowing they can do it,” he says. “And that confidence will carry them through their careers in an AI-driven world.”
