Research on SW Liberal Arts Education Utilizing Generative AI: Focusing on the Course “Computational Thinking and Basic Coding”

This study analyzed the perceptions and usage patterns of generative AI ChatGPT among 181 first-year non-major students at S University (humanities, social sciences, business administration, and engineering) who took the required humanities software course “Computational Thinking and Coding Basics” in the first semester of 2025. To this end, students were actively encouraged to use ChatGPT. Regarding learning through software education utilizing ChatGPT, 166 students (91.7%) reported very high satisfaction, and there were no statistically significant differences in satisfaction levels across universities. Regarding the recommended stages for ChatGPT usage, 75 students (41.4%) reported the highest usage during the project work stage, while 55 students (30.4%) reported using it in all stages. In multiple-choice responses regarding project work, ChatGPT was utilized as a core tool for technical implementation and problem-solving, with coding (64.6%) and debugging (49.7%) being the most common application cases. Regarding deliverable work in software projects, 173 students (95.6%) expressed a positive opinion about using ChatGPT, 134 (74.0%) responded that using ChatGPT was useful for enhancing creativity during the deliverable work process, and 151 (83.4%) responded that it was useful for improving integration skills. This study suggests that generative AI can be effectively utilized as a learning tool in software liberal arts education for non-majors, and it is expected to contribute to emphasizing the potential for effective utilization of generative AI in future university liberal arts software education.