2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Role of Generative AI in Enhancing Pre-College Engineering Design Thinking (Work in Progress)

Presented at Pre-College Engineering Education Division (PCEE) Poster Session

This Work in Progress (WIP) paper is part of a larger collaborative mentoring program pairing graduate-level engineering education researchers with high school students. The project investigates the potential of Gen-AI (Generative Artificial Intelligence) as a pedagogical tool for fostering engineering thinking in pre-college engineering education. Specifically, this paper explores nine high school students' perceptions regarding integrating Gen-AI into the ideation phase of engineering design in an engineering design course. In this study, students engaged in two distinct engineering design projects, first without AI assistance and later with AI assistance. After completing each project, students responded to an open-ended questionnaire and reflected on their experiences. The questionnaire responses were analyzed by a team of two high school students and a graduate-level mentor using qualitative thematic analysis. This pairing of two high school students with a graduate student mentor was designed to provide students with hands-on experience in the research process, from data collection, cleanup, analysis, and interpretation. The preliminary findings from the questionnaire showed that students used AI to visualize, research, and brainstorm ideas for their projects. Students identified that AI was helpful in the design of several sustainability features and layout designs. While students commented on several strengths of AI, including speed, convenience, and innovation, they also mentioned being held back by certain drawbacks, such as the shallow and generic nature of the responses. The student responses also exhibited discernment regarding the appropriate usage of AI in context and ethics. Moreover, students mentioned concerns regarding the accuracy of the AI-generated information and how it impacts students' creativity. The findings show that students possess a nuanced understanding of AI, pointing to engagement with these tools outside of class, underscoring the need to incorporate them more thoughtfully into our teaching. Students' reflections offer valuable insights into the role Gen-AI can play in supporting—or potentially hindering—students' engagement in engineering design and the development of their engineering thinking.

Authors

Syeda Fizza Ali Texas A&M University [biography]

Syeda Fizza Ali is currently pursuing her PhD in Interdisciplinary Engineering at Texas A&M University. She works as a graduate research assistant at the Department of Multidisciplinary Engineering, where her work focuses on educational technology tools and student engagement. Her research is shaped by a commitment to broadening participation in engineering and fostering learning environments that prioritize student well-being.
Ayaan Sunil Rege The Hill School [biography]

Ayaan Rege is an 11th-grade student at The Hill School. He has taken engineering and computer science courses for the last three years and has a keen interest in the applications of AI in engineering fields.
Susanna Angela Ponniah The Hill School [biography]

I am 11th grade highschool student. I have been taking engineering for 3 years at my school. I am interested in bio related engineering and research about the field.
Dr. Hoda Ehsan http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3681-317X The Hill School [biography]

Hoda is Chair for Engineering and Computer Science Department and the Director of Quadrivium Design and Engineering at The Hill School. She holds a Ph.D in Engineering Education from Purdue University, M.S. in Childhood Education from City University of New York, and B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Bahonar University in Iran.
Dr. Saira Anwar http://orcid.org/https://0000-0001-6947-3226 Texas A&M University [biography]

Saira Anwar is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Multidisciplinary Engineering, Texas A and M University, College Station. She received her Ph.D. in Engineering Education from the School of Engineering Education, Purdue University, USA. The Department of Energy, National Science Foundation, and industry sponsors fund her research. Her research potential and the implication of her work are recognized through national and international awards, including the 2023 NSTA/NARST Research Worth Reading award for her publication in the Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 2023 New Faculty Fellow award by IEEE ASEE Frontiers in Education Conference, 2022 Apprentice Faculty Grant award by the ERM Division, ASEE, and 2020 outstanding researcher award by the School of Engineering Education, Purdue University. Dr. Anwar has over 20 years of teaching experience at various national and international universities, including the Texas A and M University - USA, University of Florida - USA, and Forman Christian College University - Pakistan. She also received outstanding teacher awards in 2013 and 2006. Also, she received the "President of Pakistan Merit and Talent Scholarship" for her undergraduate studies.

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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