2026 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

(Work in Progress) AI as a Cognitive Partner: Designing a Metacognitive Programming Workshop for Novice Learners

Presented at Two-Year College Division (TYCD) Technical Session 3: Tools, Mentors, and Methods

Developing programming logic is a persistent barrier for novice engineering learners, particularly in two-year college contexts where students enter with varied prior exposure and limited opportunities for structured computing practice. This Work-in-Progress paper presents the design of Thinking About Thinking in Code, a 90-minute interactive workshop that combines Arduino-based physical computing with generative AI–supported metacognitive scaffolding. The workshop is organized around a proximity alert design challenge using an ultrasonic sensor, LED, and buzzer. Students progress through a structured packet that prompts them to (1) define a design goal and expected system behavior, (2) identify system inputs/outputs and hardware connections, (3) specify threshold-based behavior rules, (4) construct flowcharts that represent decision logic, and (5) outline variables and conditional (if/else) structures prior to implementation and debugging. ChatGPT is positioned as a cognitive partner rather than a shortcut through a protocol emphasizing explain-first routines, evidence-based verification, and reflective iteration. The paper contributes a replicable workshop blueprint and a low-burden evaluation plan leveraging student artifacts, reflection prompts, exit tickets, and facilitator observation notes. Pilot findings are pending and will inform refinement and future implementation.

Authors

Dr. Sindia M. Rivera-Jiménez http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8325-1136 University of Florida [biography]

Dr. Rivera-Jiménez is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Engineering Education (EED) and an affiliate faculty to the Department of Chemical Engineering at the University of Florida. Her research focuses on understanding the role of engineering communities while enacting their agency in participatory and transformational change. She is particularly interested in broadening the participation of minoritized communities by studying the role of professional development in shaping organizational cultures. As an education practitioner, she also looks at evidence-based practices to incorporate social responsibility skills and collaborative and inclusive teams into the curriculum. Dr. Rivera-Jiménez graduated from the University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez with a B.S. and Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering. She earned an NSF RIEF award recognizing her effort in transitioning from a meaningful ten-year teaching faculty career into engineering education research. Before her current role, she taught STEM courses at diverse institutions such as HSI, community college, and R1 public university.
Dr. Lilianny Virgüez http://orcid.org/0009-0007-1672-3907 University of Florida [biography]

Dr. Virgüez is an engineering educator who teaches foundational electrical engineering courses for students across multiple disciplines and class standings, with prior experience teaching first-year engineering students. Her work includes curriculum development and program-level coordination, and her research focuses on student motivation, workforce alignment, and the role of emerging technologies, including AI, in engineering education. She brings prior industry experience in the telecommunications sector and holds a Ph.D. in Engineering Education and a Master’s degree in Management Systems Engineering from Virginia Tech, as well as a bachelor’s degree in Telecommunications Engineering.
Mr. Diego Alvarado University of Florida [biography]

Diego Alvarado is an Instructional Assistant Professor in the Department of Engineering Education at the University of Florida. He obtained his M.Eng. in Industrial Engineering from Texas A&M University and his B.S. in Industrial Engineering from Texas A&

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