2026 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

This work-in-progress paper presents the theoretical foundation and instructional design of a pedagogical intervention that integrates structured storytelling and artificial intelligence (AI) to improve student engagement and conceptual understanding in undergraduate engineering education. Traditional engineering problems are often presented in decontextualized formats, making it difficult for students to connect theoretical concepts to real-world applications.

Focusing on foundational courses in electrical and computer engineering (ECE)—including digital logic, circuits, programming, and signals and systems—this project addresses that challenge by embedding core engineering topics within narrative-based and personalized, context-rich scenarios. The instructional model consists of two components: (1) a narrative-driven activity designed to promote retrieval practice and deepen comprehension, and (2) a follow-up set of transfer-oriented questions that assess students’ ability to apply concepts beyond the narrative context.

Grounded in cognitive science, constructivist learning theory, and personalization principles, the framework introduces three instructional treatments: (1) conventional problem-solving, (2) shared class-wide storytelling, and (3) individualized, AI-generated story contexts. Custom-trained AI tools are used to generate tailored prompts and scaffolding, illustrating the potential for scalable personalization in engineering instruction.

This paper contributes a pedagogically intentional and theoretically grounded approach to learner-centered design in engineering education. By contextualizing abstract technical content through narrative and AI-enhanced personalization, it advances the discourse on meaningful and scalable integration of emerging technologies in the classroom. Although developed for ECE instruction, the approach is adaptable and can be extended to other engineering disciplines seeking to foster deeper conceptual understanding through contextualized, student-centered learning.