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First draft of PhD interview presentation

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10
references.bib
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@ -659,6 +659,16 @@ learners are different, and (b) that they change as they learn. But},
url = {http://misq.org/perceived-usefulness-perceived-ease-of-use-and-user-acceptance-of-information-technology.html},
}
@article{likert1932,
title = {A Technique for the Measurement of Attitudes},
author = {Likert, Rensis},
journal = {Archives of Psychology},
year = {1932},
volume = {140},
pages = {1--55},
url = {https://psycnet.apa.org/record/1933-01885-001}
}
@Book{Coe2025,
editor = {Robert Coe and Michael Waring and Larry Hedges and Laura Day Ashley},
publisher = {SAGE Publications},

184
slides.tex
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@ -166,109 +166,123 @@
\section{How I plan to address this space}
\begin{frame}
\frametitle{How am I addressing the gap}
\todo{Talk about Gidget and offer scaffolding tools, then talk about how we
can create a tool to aid intervention}
I plan to create an intervention wherein I give students access to an AI tool
that takes elements from previous interventions that align with the principles
of improving self-efficacy in students, and combine it with more recent
breakthroughs in LLM based technologies to allow the intervention to be used
in a wider variety of programming environments and contexts.
%\begin{frame}
% \frametitle{How am I addressing the gap}
% \todo{Talk about Gidget and offer scaffolding tools, then talk about how we
% can create a tool to aid intervention}
% I plan to create an intervention wherein I give students access to an AI tool
% that takes elements from previous interventions that align with the principles
% of improving self-efficacy in students, and combine it with more recent
% breakthroughs in LLM based technologies to allow the intervention to be used
% in a wider variety of programming environments and contexts.
%
% I then plan to evaluate its impact on self-efficacy and potentially other
% outcomes. \todo{Figure out what those outcomes are.}
%\end{frame}
I then plan to evaluate its impact on self-efficacy and potentially other
outcomes. \todo{Figure out what those outcomes are.}
\end{frame}
%\begin{frame}
% \frametitle{The Intervention}
% \todo{Talk about methodology and the type of intervention that's taking place.
% Why this method over other methods etc}
%
% This artefact attempts to replicate the channels of self-efficacy improvement
% that one on one support from an instructor, by targeting these factors in
% Bandura's theory \todo{cite}:
%\begin{itemize}
% \item Mastery experiences (Experiencing more success in coding tasks).
% \item Verbal encouragement.
% \item Guided support.
%\end{itemize}
% \todo{Check the previous itemisation isn't mistaken}
%
% The agent will use techniques such as personification \todo{cite gidget} and
% an AI models ability to translate errors into more accessible descriptions
% replicate an instructors ability to help a student understand knowledge they
% may be missing in terms of the language of a compiler. The model will also
% focus on guiding the student towards the solution in a structured manner such
% as in \todo{cite structured debugging intervention paper}.
%
% The goal with this artefact is to as closely as possible replicate the
% experience and self-efficacy improvements that come with 1 on 1 tuition
% \todo{cite}, so that these benefits can be scaled up. And help seeking
% behaviours be made more available.
%\end{frame}
\begin{frame}
\frametitle{The Intervention}
\todo{Talk about methodology and the type of intervention that's taking place.
Why this method over other methods etc}
I plan to create an artefact that uses scaffolding and personification in an
attempt to improve students self-efficacy \cite{Bandura1977} and reduce
cognitive load \cite{Sweller1988}.
\newline
This artefact attempts to replicate the channels of self-efficacy improvement
that one on one support from an instructor, by targeting these factors in
Bandura's theory \todo{cite}:
This will be done by walking a student through any issues a
real programming environment can throw at them with the use of an AI agent
based avatar, which will break down the process of solving debugging issues in
their own real world programming environment.
\end{frame}
\begin{frame}
\frametitle{Methodology}
Due to the nature of using a software tool to improve outcomes, an
intervention based experiment becomes necessary \cite[p.~242]{Coe2025}. The
projects' reliance on AI should also adhere to guidelines such as
CONSORT-AI \cite{Liu2020} in order to remain reproducible and transparent.
\newline
If ethical issues surrounding the withholding of resources from some students
that were made available to others even at random wasn't a worry, a random
selection of student participants would be the best approach to reduce bias
\cite[p.~245]{Coe2025}.
\newline
To counter this issue will I will be measuring results from a cohort before
the intervention has been fully developed and comparing results to a cohort
that has then since gained access to the artefact in a longitudinal study
\cite[p.~224]{Coe2025}.
\begin{itemize}
\item Mastery experiences (Experiencing more success in coding tasks).
\item Verbal encouragement.
\item Guided support.
\item Cohort A -- Pre-intervention Cohort
\item Cohort B -- intervention Cohort
\end{itemize}
\todo{Check the previous itemisation isn't mistaken}
The agent will use techniques such as personification \todo{cite gidget} and
an AI models ability to translate errors into more accessible descriptions
replicate an instructors ability to help a student understand knowledge they
may be missing in terms of the language of a compiler. The model will also
focus on guiding the student towards the solution in a structured manner such
as in \todo{cite structured debugging intervention paper}.
The goal with this artefact is to as closely as possible replicate the
experience and self-efficacy improvements that come with 1 on 1 tuition
\todo{cite}, so that these benefits can be scaled up. And help seeking
behaviours be made more available.
\end{frame}
\begin{frame}
\frametitle{Key influences in this field and area of research.}
\todo{Talk about the psychology and mikes previous paper bandura. gidget and
some scaffolding intervention if it's not all covered in the previous slide}
\frametitle{Data Collection}
%TODO come back to this
Self-efficacy is a psychological self-perception and as such must be collected
from communicating with the participants.
\newline
There are however several methods we can use to quantify qualitative data
through tools like Likert scales \cite{likert1932} and thematic analysis
\cite{Braun2006} of feedback.
\newline
Both of these methods require careful planning to avoid the influence of bias.
I've interacted with them before in papers I've contributed to in the past
\cite{Mitchell2021, Mitchell2022}, and I am confident in the GA's ability to
guide me through the process of making sure I collect this data correctly.
\end{frame}
\begin{frame}
\frametitle{What is the variable. What does better look like}
\todo{what research methods will analyse this}
\todo{Students drop out less, produce higher quality code? What do other
interventionist studies look at?}
\todo{There are a few outcomes we can try to measure. We can use likart style
surveys and attempt pre-post intervention comparisons}
\section{Technology stacks and ethical considerations}
The study plans to measure changes in the students self-efficacy and their
self perception of their coding ability before and after intervention.
The study falls into an educational intervention style methodology for which
the best style of study in regard to bias is usually random
assignment \todo{cite research methods and methodologies in education}.
However, due to the ethical concerns of depriving only part of a cohort of a
tool that may be beneficial to them without an alternative equally powerful
tool as an alternative, a longitudinal year of entry based cohort study could
be used as an alternative, albeit with a higher potential for bias.\todo{cite
research methods and methodologies in education different page}
\end{frame}
\section{Challenges and ethical considerations}
%\begin{frame}
% \frametitle{Key challenges in the study}
%\end{frame}
\begin{frame}
\frametitle{Key challenges in the study}
\todo{Talk about the time to develop the software and more about the study
structure and issues with pedagogical research in general}
\end{frame}
\begin{frame}
\frametitle{main ethical concerns}
\frametitle{AI Ethical Concerns}
This research immediately falls into at least medium risk in Falmouth
University's ethics policy as it involves human participants. Due to the
nature of interacting with generative AI addition measures will be necessary.
\begin{itemize}
\item \todo{This research should be limited to adults as gen ai and children = bad.}
\item \todo{Making the AI friendlier and having it say something outside my control}
\item \todo{Mention potential for bias in the current data collection}
\todo{Ethical AI models should be a requirement}
\item We should avoid giving AI access to children and vulnerable people.
\item We should make sure to use ethically trained AI models where possible.
\item Furthermore, we should follow CONSORT-AI \cite{Liu2020} to keep this
research transparent and reproducible.
\end{itemize}
\end{frame}
\begin{frame}
\frametitle{Key challenges in this area}
\begin{itemize}
\item \todo{First stage programming generally has a high drop out rate because
overcoming programming problems can be distressing without a degree of
self-efficacy.}
\item \todo{Having a guide help students learn through the process one on one
is a time intensive process for staff and fairly cost inefficient in terms
of time spent with educators.}
\item \todo{This tool is also an attempt to scale the amount of human support
a student can receive, outside the classroom}
\end{itemize}
\end{frame}
\section{Me, My Skills, And why I want to study at Falmouth University}
% 1 4 9? 10?
@ -294,9 +308,9 @@
Falmouth University previously:
\begin{itemize}
\item Student Perspectives on the Purpose of Peer Evaluation During Group
Game Development Projects \cite{Mitchell2021}
Game Development Projects \cite{Mitchell2021}.
\item An Exploratory Analysis of Student Experiences with Peer Evaluation in
Group Game Development Projects \cite{Mitchell2022}
Group Game Development Projects \cite{Mitchell2022}.
\end{itemize}
\end{frame}