2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Work-in-Progress: Voices of the Future: Student Insights on AI's Role in Shaping Learning, Integrity, and Norms in Higher Education

This work-in-progress paper explores university students’ perspectives on Generative Artificial Intelligence (GAI) tools, such as ChatGPT, an increasingly prominent topic in the academic community. There is ongoing debate about whether faculty should teach students how to use GAI tools, restrict their usage to maintain academic integrity, or establish regulatory guidelines for sustained integration into higher education. Unfortunately, limited research exists beyond surface-level policies and educator opinions regarding GAI, and its full impact on student learning remains largely unknown. Therefore, understanding students' perceptions and how they use GAI is crucial to ensuring its effective and ethical integration into higher education. As GAI continues to disrupt traditional educational paradigms, this study seeks to explore how students perceive its influence on their learning and problem-solving.

As part of a larger mixed-methods study, this work-in-progress paper presents preliminary findings from the qualitative portion using a phenomenological approach that answers the research question: How do university students perceive disruptive technologies like ChatGPT affecting their education and learning? By exploring the implications of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools on student learning, academic integrity, individual beliefs, and community norms, this study contributes to the broader discourse on the role of emerging technologies in shaping the future of teaching and learning in education.

Authors

Michaela Harper http://orcid.org/0009-0007-5985-8676 Utah State University [biography]

Michaela Harper is a doctoral student at Utah State University, pursuing a Ph.D. in Engineering Education. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Environmental Studies, focusing on STEM and non-traditional education approaches, and a Master's degree in Engineering Education, where she explored faculty perspectives on Generative Artificial Intelligence (GAI). Michaela's current research delves deeply into the effects of disruptive technologies on engineering education, driven by her passion for uncovering the foundational nature of phenomena and applying an exploratory and explanatory approach to her studies. Her work aims to illuminate how technological advancements reshape educational landscapes through student and faculty engagement.
Dr. Cassandra McCall http://orcid.org/https://0000-0002-0240-432X Utah State University [biography]

Dr. Cassandra McCall is an Assistant Professor in the Engineering Education Department at Utah State University (USU). Her research focuses on the intersections of disability, identity formation, and culture and uses anti-ableist approaches to enhance universal access for students with disabilities in STEM, particularly in engineering. At USU, she serves as the Co-Director of the Institute for Interdisciplinary Transition Services. In 2024, Dr. McCall received a National Science Foundation CAREER grant to identify systemic opportunities for increasing the participation of people with disabilities in engineering. Her award-winning publications have been recognized by leading engineering education research journals at both national and international levels. Dr. McCall has led several workshops promoting the inclusion of people with disabilities and other minoritized groups in STEM. She holds B.S. and M.S. degrees in civil engineering with a structural engineering emphasis.
Daniel Kane http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0220-9962 Utah State University [biography]

Daniel Kane is a third-year Ph.D. student in the department of engineering education at Utah State University. His research interests include spatial ability, accessibility for students with disabilities, artificial intelligence in education, and enhancing electric vehicle charging system infrastructure. Daniel has contributed significantly to the development of the Tactile Mental Cutting Test (TMCT) which is a significant advancement in assessing spatial ability for blind and low-vision populations. His research has helped inform teaching methods and develop strategies for improving STEM education accessibility. Currently, he is studying how AI tools are utilized by students across USU’s colleges to optimize their educational value. Daniel has also served as president of the ASEE student chapter at USU where he initiated outreach activities at local K-12 schools and promoted student engagement in research.
Dr. Wade H Goodridge http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5811-7629 Utah State University [biography]

Wade Goodridge is a tenured Associate Professor in the Department of Engineering Education at Utah State University. His research lies in spatial thinking and ability, curriculum development, and professional development in K-16 engineering teaching.
Linda Davis Ahlstrom Utah State University [biography]

Linda Ahlstrom PhD student currently studying Engineering Education at Utah State University. Interested in the Univerity to Industry interface and the use of AI tools in engineering. MS Electrical Engineering Cal State Long Beach. Worked in industry: Biomedical, Software Development and Aerospace.
Dr. Oenardi Lawanto Utah State University [biography]

Dr. Oenardi Lawanto is a professor in the Department of Engineering Education at Utah State University, USA. He received his B.S.E.E. from Iowa State University, his M.S.E.E. from the University of Dayton, and his Ph.D. from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Dr. Lawanto has a combination of expertise in engineering and education and has more than 30 and 15 years of experience teaching engineering and cognitive-related topics courses for his doctoral students, respectively. He also has extensive experience in working collaboratively with several universities in Asia, the World Bank Institute, and USAID to design and conduct workshops promoting active-learning and life-long learning that is sustainable and scalable. Dr. Lawanto’s research interests include cognition, learning, and instruction, and online learning.

Note

The full paper will be available to logged in and registered conference attendees once the conference starts on June 22, 2025, and to all visitors after the conference ends on June 25, 2025

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