Result: BioPyAssistant: a chatbot to support learning of Python programming

Title:
BioPyAssistant: a chatbot to support learning of Python programming
Contributors:
Université Paris Cité (UPCité), Laboratoire de biochimie théorique [Paris] (LBT (UPR_9080)), Institut de biologie physico-chimique (IBPC (FR_550)), Sorbonne Université (SU)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Sorbonne Université (SU)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de Chimie - CNRS Chimie (INC-CNRS)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université Paris Cité (UPCité), Financement IDEX Université Paris Cité 2024-2025. Projet d'innovation pédagogique LLM@UPCité., Université Paris Cité
Source:
Université Paris Cité. 2025
Publisher Information:
CCSD, 2025.
Publication Year:
2025
Collection:
collection:CNRS
collection:INC-CNRS
collection:LARA
collection:SORBONNE-UNIVERSITE
collection:SORBONNE-UNIV
collection:UNIV-PARIS
collection:UNIVERSITE-PARIS
collection:LBT
collection:SU-TI
collection:ALLIANCE-SU
Original Identifier:
HAL: hal-05340526
Document Type:
Report report<br />Reports
Language:
English
Rights:
info:eu-repo/semantics/OpenAccess
URL: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/
Accession Number:
edshal.hal.05340526v2
Database:
HAL

Further Information

The LLM@UPCité project at Université Paris Cité developed BioPyAssistant, a conversational chatbot designed to assist master’s students in learning Python programming. Created by Essmay Touami during her master’s internship, the assistant uses a Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) approach based on existing course materials available online and in PDF form. Through a web interface, students can ask questions and receive concise, source-cited answers with direct links to relevant course sections.Between October and December 2024, BioPyAssistant was tested by 70 bioinformatics master’s students. Survey results showed that 66% used it to clarify course content, 27% explored topics beyond the course, 71% followed the provided course links, and 100% found it suitable for beginners. Overall, the chatbot improved students’ understanding of Python concepts and engagement with the learning material.