Seminar: Understanding Student Help-Seeking in the Era of Generative AI
Alexander Hicks
PhD Candidate
Digital Education Research Lab
Virginia Tech
Tuesday, February 24
1:30 - 2:30p.m.
1100 Torgersen
Abstract
Learning is an interactive process that benefits from everyone involved engaging in a shared learning experience, allowing learners to see themselves as capable partners in their learning. In a world where learners have direct access to Generative AI tools, it is critical that they understand why courses emphasize theoretical underpinnings, how to use these tools effectively, and when their use is appropriate.
Addressing this challenge requires educators to carefully consider assessment design, scaffold learning objectives, and minimize barriers to student success. Educators must normalize help-seeking and encourage learners to reflect and take ownership of their learning.
In this talk, I present research exploring help-seeking behavior in an undergraduate data structures course. In particular, this work investigates common struggles that appear in office hours and other learner-TA interaction types. I also discuss emerging findings on how learners engage with LLMs and how automated feedback systems can help scaffold learners' conceptual understanding and encourage productive struggle. This research directly informs my teaching, ensuring it is firmly grounded and focuses on accessibility, interactivity, and real-world relevance.
Biography
Alex Hicks is a PhD candidate in the Digital Education Research Lab at Virginia Tech, advised by Dr. Cliff Shaffer and Dr. Steve Edwards. His teaching emphasizes learners as active partners in their learning by grounding instruction in real-world contexts, and is informed by his research on help-seeking behavior and automated feedback systems in computer science education. Alex has served as Instructor of Record for data structures, algorithms, and software engineering courses. For his teaching, he received the Outstanding Instructor of Record Award from the Department of Computer Science and was inducted as a Fellow of the Academy of Outstanding Graduate Pedagogy at Virginia Tech.