Preparing computer science students for artificial intelligence assisted software development

The National Science Foundation Division of Undergraduate Education awarded Northern Virginia Community College (Virginia Community College System Office) $215,701 on October 15, 2026, under the STEM Education program (CFDA 47.076) to develop, implement, evaluate, and disseminate the Framework for Rigorous AI-Assisted Computer Science Education (FRAME), an instructional framework integrating artificial intelligence into introductory computer science courses while emphasizing authentic software development experiences.

The project will develop modular instructional materials for Introduction to Problem Solving and Programming and Object-Oriented Programming courses at Northern Virginia Community College, conducted in collaboration with George Mason University and Rochester Institute of Technology. A mixed-methods research design combining student learning assessments, software development analytics, faculty implementation studies, and independent external evaluation will examine instructional effectiveness, implementation fidelity, and factors supporting improved student learning. Project resources will be disseminated as openly licensed educational materials for community colleges nationwide. The award supports a Track 1 Innovation in Two-Year College STEM Education (ITYC) initiative designed to strengthen faculty capacity to teach AI-assisted software development and prepare students for transfer and employment in a workforce increasingly transformed by artificial intelligence tools.

Performance occurs at Northern Virginia Community College in Annandale, Virginia, with period of performance from October 15, 2026, through September 30, 2029.

Abstract

This project serves the national interest by preparing computer science students for a rapidly evolving software development workforce in which artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming programming practices and workforce expectations. As AI-assisted programming tools become integral to modern software development, students must learn to use these technologies responsibly while strengthening their programming, software engineering, problem-solving, and critical thinking skills. To address this need, the project will develop the framework for rigorous AI-assisted computer science education (FRAME), an AI-in-the-loop instructional framework that integrates AI into introductory computer science while emphasizing authentic software development experiences. This track 1 innovation in two-year college stem education (ITYC) project will develop, implement, evaluate, and disseminate an evidence-based instructional framework that prepares students for transfer and employment, strengthens faculty capacity to teach AI-assisted software development, and provides scalable instructional resources for community colleges nationwide. The project will study and refine the FRAME instructional framework while developing modular instructional materials for an introduction to problem solving and programming course and the subsequent object-oriented programming course at northern virginia community college in collaboration with george mason university and rochester institute of technology. A mixed-methods research design will combine student learning assessments, software development analytics, faculty implementation studies, and an independent external evaluation to examine instructional effectiveness, implementation fidelity, and factors that support improved student learning. Project resources will be disseminated as openly licensed educational resources through faculty professional learning, scholarly publications, conference presentations, and partnerships that support computing education. The project will advance understanding of effective approaches for integrating AI-assisted software development into introductory computer science education while promoting rigorous software engineering practices, responsible AI use, and scalable instructional models for community colleges. The NSF iuse: innovation in two-year college stem education (ITYC) program seeks to accelerate and advance knowledge about the impact of emerging and evidence-based practices in undergraduate stem education at two-year colleges. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.- subawards are not planned for this award.