2026 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Project-based learning is a valuable pedagogical tool in engineering education, offering students opportunities to explore emerging technologies and develop independent learning skills. Traditionally, students communicate their project outcomes through written technical reports and in-class presentations. However, the increasing availability of generative AI tools has disrupted this practice. Students can now use AI to produce well-written reports with minimal effort, raising concerns about academic integrity and the authenticity of learning outcomes.

While in-class presentations offer a more direct and interactive way to assess student understanding and originality, they are often impractical in large-enrollment courses due to time constraints. This is a common challenge at large public universities, where engineering classes often exceed 100 students, making it difficult to allocate sufficient time for individual presentations. Nevertheless, oral presentations play a crucial role in developing students’ communication and professional presentation skills.

To address these challenges, faculty members in the Electrical and Computer Engineering department at a large public university implemented an alternative assessment strategy in undergraduate courses during Spring 2025. Instead of submitting written reports, students created 5-minute asynchronous video presentations to communicate their individual project findings. The authors believe that video presentations not only provide a scalable alternative to in-class talks but also encourage deeper reflection, as students have an opportunity to thoughtfully plan, record, and review their work before submission. This approach was applied in both small (approximately 15 students) and large (approximately 100 students) enrollment courses. Moreover, students were provided with clear guidelines on ethical AI use, permitting tools only for resource gathering. The goal was to promote responsible AI practices and encourage deeper engagement with current research.

At the end of the semester, students were invited to complete a survey comparing video presentations to traditional written reports. The survey assessed students’ perspectives on whether the video format inspired greater interest and participation, and whether it posed more challenges compared to written reports. Survey results indicated that students found the video format more engaging and motivating. Overall, the majority of students (about 60%) expressed a strong preference for video presentations.