2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

As students more frequently engage with the virtual world, it becomes increasingly important for instructors to understand how students are using online resources and artificial intelligence (AI) to learn course materials. Identifying how students use online resources and AI is especially critical for the field of biomedical engineering (BME), whose multidisciplinary scope may require students to use online resources not necessarily created for BME audiences or contexts. In this study, we will identify BME students’ current use of online resources and AI by surveying BME students and instructors about how online resources and AI are being used to enhance learning in BME courses. Here, we define “online resources” as any webpage, simulation, video, news article, peer-reviewed manuscript, forum, or other interactive tool accessed through the internet that enhances student learning.
Students enrolled in nine different BME courses at [institution name] will be invited to participate in our study during the last week of classes of the Fall 2024 semester. Courses will include lecture-based courses, lab-based courses, and project-based courses. Courses will include students from multiple years in the degree program. After consenting to participate, students will complete online surveys through Qualtrics. Survey questions are focused on 1) assessing students’ perceptions on the efficacy of instructor-provided online resources on student learning, 2) asking students to reflect on what types of online resources students use to learn course contents outside of the classroom and how frequently students use these online resources, 3) what specific online resources students use, such as specific websites, and 4) how students use AI as they learn the course material. Additionally, the instructors of record for the nine courses will be invited to participate in our study. Instructors will complete a separate Qualtrics survey, which focuses on identifying 1) what online resources instructors provide to students to support student learning of course material, 2) how effective instructors perceive instructor-provided online resources to be in supporting student learning, and 3) how instructors perceive students using AI for learning. Demographic information will be collected from all surveyed participants to identify any additional correlations between participants and survey results.
From the collected data, our goal is to identify common themes about how students use online resources and AI based on 1) student year in the degree program, 2) course topic, and 3) course type. By correlating this data with what online resources students are using in their respective courses, our results will help instructors realize how they can better integrate or design online resources for their courses. Additionally, by comparing the survey data from the students about instructor-provided online resources with the instructors’ survey responses, we will clarify possible disparities that may exist between instructors’ perceived effectiveness of these resources and students’ reported effectiveness these resources demonstrate in supporting student learning. Further, our aim is to help instructors identify ways in which AI may be more readily applied in their courses to support responsible student use of AI in a manner that trains students to be industry-ready in their understanding and application of AI. Combined, our results will highlight opportunities for instructors to enhance the learning of BME students through application of effective online resources in their courses.