2026 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

This paper presents the redesign and iterative refinement of an undergraduate ECE course on object-oriented programming and data structures in C++. Across several academic quarters, the course incorporated four major interventions informed by student feedback and evolving trends in software engineering education. These included adding participation-based clicker questions, restructuring programming assignments to allow automated feedback with unlimited resubmissions, introducing collaborative Discussion sessions with immediate feedback, and integrating the use of large language models (LLMs). Together, these components created an environment where students could apply and master challenging concepts through low-stakes assignments in a supportive and flexible learning environment while preserving rigor through high-stakes closed-internet, independent exams. Survey data indicated that students valued the interactivity, appreciated opportunities to revise work until mastery, and generally reported low reliance on AI for completing assignments. Overall, the redesign demonstrates how thoughtful, formative practices can modernize core programming courses and better align them with student needs and LLM integration.