Leveraging Algorithm Instruction with AI Chatbots: A Detailed Exploration of Their Impact on Students’ Computational Thinking

This research aims to understand the effect of algorithm instruction with artificial intelligence-based chatbots on students’ Computational Thinking (CT) skills. A quasi-experimental approach was employed, involving two groups: an experimental group where some students used conversational Artificial Intelligence (AI) bots as learning assistants and a control group where students used no such technology. The proposed research tools were the pre and post-tests and the questionnaires, which targeted users’ rating of the chatbot’s usefulness, user interface, and its influence on learning motivation. Analysis of the collected data was done using independent t-tests to compare the results between groups as well as correlation analysis to find the connection between AI chatbot utilization and students’ computational thinking skills. This study shows a positive increase in the overall CT skills of the experimental group compared to the control group. Instead, a positive relationship was found between the degree of the use of the chatbots and the students’ computational thinking performance. Accordingly, this research points to the inclusion of AI-based chatbots into algorithm instruction as a valuable approach to raising computational thinking disposition, learning motivation, and learning outcome. Therefore, the application of the value of AI technology indicates the possibility of transforming the implementation and teaching of an algorithm in higher education.