2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Artificial Intelligence(AI) and Machine Learning (ML) touch every aspect of modern life and will continue to influence us more than ever in the future. We think schools and teachers should be prepared to let the children explore ML to help them understand how the world around them functions. It has been shown that children as young as three years old can not only interact with ML technologies but also produce ML data sets and models[1].

In this paper, we explore factors influencing the growth of teacher confidence in the implementation of emerging ML technologies within engineering educational settings. 5 teachers from St. Louis, USA engaged in a co-design workshop to explore an emerging ML toolkit and to consider ways of structuring classroom activities to integrate the technology into their teaching. Using video and post-interview data, we report on how engagement in the workshop activities influenced their confidence. We claim that educators' confidence grew when they were provided with hands-on opportunities to explore and understand emerging technologies. Moreover, our analysis underscores recognizing and validating teachers’ unique insights and perspectives in fostering their confidence. Additionally, we highlight the significance of involving educators in the collaborative design of curricula and activities centered around these innovative ML tools. By shedding light on these critical elements, our research offers practical guidance for fostering a supportive environment that encourages educators to embrace and effectively integrate ML technologies into their engineering teaching practices.