Teach2Learn: Developing and Piloting an Educational Platform for Learning-by-Teaching in CS1 Courses

Abstract

The surge of generative AI in education calls for new learning approaches resistant to cognitive offloading. Our work explores a solution inspired by the Latin proverb, docendo discimus: “by teaching, we learn.” We developed and piloted Teach2Learn, a web-based educational platform where CS1 students demonstrate their knowledge by teaching an LLM-simulated learner. This paper presents the pedagogical framework, design, and findings of two pilot tests (N = 87). We conducted pilots with two distinct student cohorts: an interdisciplinary summer cohort of non engineering majors (N = 32) with limited prior programming experience and a more homogeneous fall cohort of engineering majors (N = 55). Our preliminary results indicate a positive impact on student self-efficacy. In both pilots, the majority of the students reported an improved under standing of concepts after the activity and felt that the simulated student challenged their thinking. However, the impact on conceptual understanding, measured by exam-style questions, was mixed. The non-engineering cohort showed improved scores, while the engineering cohort’s performance decreased on several questions. The mixed results underscore the need for further iteration.

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