From Code-Centric to Concept-Centric: Teaching NLP with LLM-Assisted "Vibe Coding"

The rapid advancement of Large Language Models (LLMs) presents both challenges and opportunities for Natural Language Processing (NLP) education. This paper introduces ``Vibe Coding,'' a pedagogical approach that leverages LLMs as coding assistants while maintaining focus on conceptual understanding and critical thinking. We describe the implementation of this approach in a senior-level undergraduate NLP course, where students completed seven labs using LLMs for code generation while being assessed primarily on conceptual understanding through critical reflection questions. Analysis of end-of-course feedback from 19 students reveals high satisfaction (mean scores 4.4-4.6/5.0) across engagement, conceptual learning, and assessment fairness. Students particularly valued the reduced cognitive load from debugging, enabling deeper focus on NLP concepts. However, challenges emerged around time constraints, LLM output verification, and the need for clearer task specifications. Our findings suggest that when properly structured with mandatory prompt logging and reflection-based assessment, LLM-assisted learning can shift focus from syntactic fluency to conceptual mastery, preparing students for an AI-augmented professional landscape.