Marcos Zampieri, Assistant Professor, Information Sciences and Technology, College of Engineering and Computing (CEC), is helping students learn to develop software with the aid of artificial intelligence.
Zampieri will develop the FRAME instructional framework along with modular instructional materials for an Introduction to Problem Solving and Programming course and the subsequent Object-Oriented Programming course at Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA). The project is a collaboration between NOVA, George Mason, and Rochester Institute of Technology.
He will employ a mixed-methods research design that will combine student learning assessments, software development analytics, faculty implementation studies, and an independent external evaluation to examine instructional effectiveness, implementation fidelity, and factors that support improved student learning.
The team will disseminate project resources as openly licensed educational resources through faculty professional learning, scholarly publications, conference presentations, and partnerships that support computing education.
Via this work, Zampieri will advance understanding of effective pedagogically aligned approaches for integrating AI-assisted software development into introductory computer science education while promoting rigorous software engineering practices, responsible AI use, and scalable instructional models for community colleges. The NSF IUSE: Innovation in Two-Year College STEM Education (ITYC) Program seeks to accelerate and advance knowledge about the impact of emerging and evidence-based practices in undergraduate STEM education at two-year colleges.
Zampieri will receive $188,367 from the National Science Foundation for this project. Funding will begin in Oct. 2026 and will end in late Sept. 2029.
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George Mason University is Virginia’s largest public research university. Located near Washington, D.C., George Mason enrolls more than 40,000 students from 130 countries and all 50 states. George Mason has grown rapidly over the past half century and is recognized for its innovation and entrepreneurship, remarkable diversity, and commitment to accessibility. In 2023, the university launched Mason Now: Power the Possible , a $1 billion comprehensive campaign to support student success, research, innovation, community, and stewardship. Learn more at GMU.EDU .