Talk: Support Programming Learning and Development at Scale

LIVE STREAM: https://uwmadison.zoom.us/j/94979567141?pwd=nMZOay7dGXE2RhvB9aGlVXubTQ20il.1 

Abstract: Will programming become obsolete? Is AI replacing software engineering? Far from it --- demand for developers is growing, but the way we learn and practice programming is rapidly evolving. In this talk, I’ll explore how we can rethink programming learning and development in the LLM era by addressing three key challenges: (1) How can we help instructors quickly identify student misconceptions at scale in real time? (2) How can we guide instructors’ attention to the most critical issues in student group discussions and coding activities? (3) How can we make it easier for users to specify their semantic intent when interacting with intelligent systems? To tackle these challenges, I’ve developed intelligent visualization and interaction systems that enhance programming as a more fluid and collaborative experience. Looking ahead, I envision AI not just supporting help-seeking but enabling new forms of team collaboration and idea generation that were previously unimaginable.

Bio: Yan Chen has been an Assistant Professor of Computer Science at Virginia Tech since 2023, where he directs the Programming with Intelligent Machines & Environments Lab. His research spans HCI, developer support tools, and programming learning at scale. Yan received his Ph.D. from the University of Michigan and his work has been published at top HCI conferences, including ACM CHI, UIST, and CSCW. He received the Best Paper Honorable Mention Award at CHI 2023, and UIST 2022, the Best Paper at L@S 2024, and the Best Short Paper award at VL/HCC 2020.