cs.AIMar 31, 2026

Human-in-the-Loop Control of Objective Drift in LLM-Assisted Computer Science Education

Authors: Mark Dranias, Adam Whitley

Organizations: Asheville Institute for Memory and Longevity. Mills River, NC USA · University of North Carolina Asheville, Asheville, NC USA

Abstract

Large language models (LLMs) are increasingly embedded in computer science education through AI-assisted programming tools, yet such workflows often exhibit objective drift, in which locally plausible outputs diverge from stated task specifications. Existing instructional responses frequently emphasize tool-specific prompting practices, limiting durability as AI platforms evolve. This paper adopts a human-centered stance, treating human-in-the-loop (HITL) control as a stable educational problem rather than a transitional step toward AI autonomy. Drawing on systems engineering and control-theoretic concepts, we frame objectives and world models as operational artifacts that students configure to stabilize AI-assisted work. We propose a pilot undergraduate CS laboratory curriculum that explicitly separates planning from execution and trains students to specify acceptance criteria and architectural constraints prior to code generation. In selected labs, the curriculum also introduces deliberate, concept-aligned drift to support diagnosis and recovery from specification violations. We report a sensitivity power analysis for a three-arm pilot design comparing unstructured AI use, structured planning, and structured planning with injected drift, establishing detectable effect sizes under realistic section-level constraints. The contribution is a theory-driven, methodologically explicit foundation for HITL pedagogy that renders control competencies teachable across evolving AI tools.

Explore similar work

CardsList
  1. From Execution to Education: A Bloom-Aligned Framework for Measuring Educational Control in LLMs

    Jul 9, 2026Yi Zhang, Julia RayzLLM EvaluationComputer Science Education

  2. Argus: Academic Integrity in the Era of Generative AI

    Sep 28, 2026David Racovan, Ajay Rawat, Christopher K. May +1Academic IntegrityGenerative AI in Education