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Adam Whitley

Assistant Professor of Computer Science
UNC Asheville
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Originally from central North Carolina, I attended Appalachian State University, earning a B.S. in Computer Science in 2005. Later, I received my Ph.D. in Computer Science in 2010 from Clemson University under the advisement of Dr. Brian Dean, where my doctoral research focused on Approximation Algorithms for graph cutting problems. Since 2011, I have taught at UNC Asheville, first as a Lecturer and then as an Assistant Professor of Computer Science. I have always loved theory, data structures and algorithms, but I have more recently written and published works on multiple computer science education topics, such as the pedagogy of large team development projects, alternative grading strategies, and AI-based curricula.

Session from the Speaker

Structuring Computer Science Education Around the Limits of LLMs

2:30 PM - 3:30 PM, June 5

Room 411

Category

Education

Abstract

As AI coding tools become more common, their limitations are becoming clearer. They can generate useful code, but often lose track of goals, drift from requirements, and struggle with complex, multi-step planning. This talk identifies some of the failure modes of large language models and argues that these limitations are likely to remain stable over the next several years. Rather than assuming rapid technical solutions, we focus on teaching strategic and systems-level thinking when working with AI, including how to structure coding sessions and define clear objectives. We propose teaching the engineering of project artifacts that define objectives, constraints, and evaluation criteria as a practical way to guide AI behavior. Drawing on a pilot course being developed at UNC Asheville, the talk outlines how computer science education can be redesigned to prepare students for an AI-assisted, but not fully autonomous, development environment.

Presenters


  • Mark Dranias CEO, Asheville Institute for Memory and Longevity

  • Adam Whitley Assistant Professor of Computer Science, UNCA

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