2026 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Artificial intelligence (AI) tools such as ChatGPT and GitHub Copilot have quickly entered higher education, raising both opportunities and questions for engineering educators. While essay-based disciplines are facing immediate disruption, traditional engineering courses remain less directly affected, since examinations still rely heavily on analytical skills. However, in professional engineering practice, AI tools are already widely used in programming, design, and system analysis. This contrast highlights the need for educators to introduce students to AI tools early-framing them as resources to be used ethically, critically, and proficiently.
This paper describes ongoing efforts within the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department at California Baptist University to integrate AI into traditional courses such as Circuit Theory, Digital Logic, Electronics, and Power Electronics. These efforts span multiple courses at different curricular levels and are guided by a common instructional framework that emphasizes verification, engineering judgment, and ethical responsibility. The objective is to prepare students to recognize that AI outputs are not infallible, to use course knowledge to verify and refine results, and to develop professional habits of ethical tool use.
Assignments are designed to pair traditional problem-solving with AI-supported attempts. Students solve problems both with and without AI, then compare results, identify errors, and reflect on differences in clarity and accuracy. Grading rubrics emphasize not only technical correctness but also the quality of prompts, the ability to critique and improve AI-generated work, and the clarity of written explanations. Across courses, pre- and post-assignment surveys and qualitative student artifacts provide insight into how these experiences shape students’ confidence, verification habits, and ethical awareness when using AI tools.
Results suggest that structured exposure to AI encourages engagement, strengthens critical thinking, and helps students build confidence in applying engineering judgment. Survey results across multiple courses suggest increased confidence in using AI tools alongside sustained or recalibrated emphasis on verification and ethical responsibility. By positioning AI as a supplement rather than a shortcut, this approach reinforces foundational skills while equipping students for an industry environment where AI is increasingly standard.