Greetings! You're cordially invited to Ashwin Rachha's Master's thesis defense. Title: Incorporating LLM-based Interactive Learning Environments in CS Education: Learning Data Structures and Algorithms using the Gurukul platform Date: Tuesday, May 7, 2024 Time: 4:00 pm Zoom link: https://virginiatech.zoom.us/j/83686401487 Committee members: Mohammed Seyam (Chair), Cliff Shaffer, Chris Brown Abstract: Large Language Models (LLMs) have emerged as a revolutionary force in Computer Science Education, offering unprecedented capabilities to facilitate learning and comprehension. However, their application is not without challenges; LLMs are prone to hallucinating and contextual inaccuracies. Furthermore, they risk exposing learning processes to cheating illicit practices and providing explicit solutions that impede the development of critical thinking skills in students. To address these pitfalls and enhance critical thinking among learners, we present Gurukul, a unique coding platform that incorporates dual features - Retrieval Augmented Generation and a Large Language Model with Guardrails. Gurukul’s Study feature incorporates a Retrieval Augmented Generation mechanism that uses OpenDSA as its source of truth, allowing the LLM to fetch and present information accurately and relevantly, thereby overcoming the issue of inaccuracies. On the other hand, Gurukul’s practice feature is designed to foster a deeper engagement with DSA study through a live code editor. This editor is complemented by a dynamically guardrailed LLM that refrains from explicitly giving code solutions. To evaluate the effectiveness and utility of Gurukul in a real-world educational setting, we conducted a User Study and a User Expert Review with students and faculty, respectively, from a public state university in the US specializing in DSA courses. The feedback from the academic community analyzed through qualitative and quantitative methods indicated the effectiveness of Gurukul in aiding the learning of DSA through LLM assistance. This means that proper evaluations underscore Gurukul’s innovative approach to leveraging LLMs for educational enhancement, marking it as a significant step forward in using AI for computer science education. Mohammed Seyamhttps://website.cs.vt.edu/people/faculty/mohammed-seyam.html, PhD Collegiate Assistant Professor Coordinator for Experiential Learninghttps://xl.vt.edu/ Department of Computer Sciencehttp://cs.vt.edu/ Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (VirginiaTechhttp://www.vt.edu/). Websitehttps://cs.vt.edu/people/faculty/mohammed-seyam.html|LinkedInhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/msseyam/|Facebookhttps://www.facebook.com/MSSeyam