A study on generative AI in programming education found that students' AI literacy and self-governance were more impactful than whether they used a scaffolded AI tool or unrestricted AI.

In plain terms

Generative AI tools like ChatGPT are now common in programming education, posing a challenge for educators who want to leverage them without fostering over-reliance. This study investigated whether a structured, "scaffolded" AI tool, which provided limited hints without generating code, would lead to better learning and less dependence compared to students using any AI tool they chose freely. Over seven weeks, 33 master's students were split into these two groups. While assignment performance was similar for both, students using the scaffolded AI reported higher confidence but managed their limited hints poorly. Those with unrestricted access were satisfied with their tools but worried about how much they relied on them. Crucially, students who had developed their own rules for AI use and understood how AI models worked (often self-taught) performed best in both conditions. The research suggests that the specific AI tool's design was less important than a student's capacity for self-governance and their understanding of AI.