2026 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Elevating Engineering Education through Adaptive Learning: Building an Interconnected Spine of Courses and Faculty Readiness Models

Presented at Educational Research and Methods Division (ERM) Poster Session

This work-in-progress paper presents a collaborative initiative focused on advancing adaptive learning (AL) integration in undergraduate engineering education across three institutions—North Carolina A&T State University, North Carolina State University, and the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. The project aims to elevate student learning and institutional capacity by developing an interconnected spine of AL courses and readiness models for faculty and institutions.

The proposed “spine” links Statics, Dynamics I, and Dynamics II through the Realizeit adaptive platform, enabling cross-course prerequisite support, consistent concept progression, and unified analytics. This framework personalizes instruction, providing just-in-time remediation and automated interventions that support students with diverse learning backgrounds. Through quantitative and qualitative evaluation, the project investigates how AL-driven interventions influence performance, engagement, and equity—particularly for underrepresented and first-generation students in engineering.

A complementary faculty and institutional training program supports sustainable AL adoption. Readiness assessments, competency models, and coaching modules guide faculty in adaptive pedagogy, content design, analytics interpretation, and student engagement strategies. Institutional readiness and deployment guides are also being developed to address technical, administrative, and policy requirements for scaling AL practices.

This presentation outlines the project’s research design, implementation framework, and early outcomes from pilot integration efforts. By connecting adaptive courseware across multiple universities and fostering faculty development, this initiative seeks to create a replicable model for personalized, data-driven instruction that enhances student success, promotes inclusivity, and transforms the engineering learning experience.

Authors

Dr. Amirhossein Ghasemi University of North Carolina at Charlotte [biography]

Dr. Ghasemi is an Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Engineering Science at UNC Charlotte and director of the THinC Lab. His research focuses on control, autonomy, robotics, human-machine systems, and intelligent transportation. Dr. Ghasemi is also active in engineering education innovation. He uses adaptive learning platforms to personalize learning in core mechanical engineering courses, such as System Dynamics, and to support students with different levels of preparation. His educational innovation efforts are supported by the National Science Foundation through an IUSE project focused on integrating adaptive learning across core mechanics courses, including Statics, Dynamics I, and Dynamics II, to strengthen prerequisite knowledge, create connected learning pathways, and improve student success.
Dr. Katherine Saul North Carolina State University at Raleigh [biography]

Dr. Saul is a Professor and University Faculty Scholar of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at North Carolina State University in Raleigh, NC. She also serves as Associate Department Head and Director of Graduate Programs. Dr. Saul is a Fellow of the American Society of Biomechanics and American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering. She has also been recognized as a KEEN Fellow of the Kern Family Foundation and an OpenSim Fellow of the National Center for Simulation in Rehabilitation Research. She has served on the Executive Board of the American Society of Biomechanics as President Elect, Meeting Chair, Diversity Task Force Chair, and Secretary, and as Associate Editor of the Journal of Applied Biomechanics and PLOS ONE. Dr. Saul served as a UNC System Academic Affairs Faculty Fellow from 2019-2021 exploring digital learning initiatives and adaptive learning. Other honors include being named the American Society of Biomechanics Predoctoral Young Scientist (2005), ASB Founders Award, Medtronic Foundation Graduate Fellow, Whitaker Foundation Graduate Fellow, Brown University Athletics Hall of Fame, and NCAA Woman of the Year (Rhode Island, 2000). She has received the Outstanding Teaching Award at NCSU at the department, college, university, and Alumni Association levels and Graduate Mentor Award from the NCSU Graduate School. Dr. Saul received her ScB in Engineering from Brown University in 2000, and her MS and PhD in Mechanical Engineering from Stanford University.
Dr. Paul Akangah http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5867-2112 North Carolina A&T State University [biography]

Dr. Paul Akangah is a Teaching Associate Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at North Carolina A&T State University. He holds a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from NC A&T and has over two decades of experience in academia and industry. His expertise spans composite materials, fracture mechanics, and finite element analysis, with a strong emphasis on engineering education and student success. Dr. Akangah’s research and pedagogical work focus on improving retention, active learning strategies, and preparing underrepresented students for STEM careers. He is an active member of ASEE and has presented multiple papers at national conferences on engineering education and student pathways.
Kiran Budhrani University of North Carolina at Charlotte [biography]

Dr. Kiran Budhrani is dedicated to leading transformative change in teaching and learning to impact the future workforce and a better world. Her dynamic energy, creative systems thinking, and bold ideas drive her as the Director for Teaching and Learning Innovation at UNC Charlotte. She leads strategic initiatives and extending capabilities within teams to drive growth, excellence and student success through faculty-centered programming and curricular innovation involving teaching strategies, generative AI, personalized and adaptive learning, learning analytics, online learning, instructional design strategies, and academic technology solutions. She has spearheaded AI transformation in Academic Affairs as the co-chair of the inaugural AI Taskforce and lead for the AI Accelerator for Teaching and Learning and serves in the campus AI Steering Committee, with strong collaboration between the Innovation team at Center for Teaching and Learning and the Office of the Provost. She founded the AI Faculty Fellows program and co-leads the annual Charlotte AI Summit. Kiran holds a doctorate in Educational Leadership in Learning, Design and Technology from UNC Charlotte. She earned her Masters degree in Computer Applications with a specialization in Instructional Systems Technology and a B.S. in Computer Science with a specialization in Instructional Systems Technology from De La Salle University-Manila. Her research focuses on design epistemology and course design. Currently she is working on an NSF IUSE grant on scaling adaptive learning in Engineering across UNC system schools. Shas earned multiple awards including the Employee of the Year Award for Innovation (2022) at UNC Charlotte and publication awards from the Association for Education Communications Technology (AECT). She holds leadership credentials from OLC’s Institute for Emerging Leadership in Online Learning, Quality Matters, and the EDUCAUSE Digital Learning Leaders Institute.
Dr. Elise Demeter University of North Carolina at Charlotte [biography]

Dr. Demeter is the Director of Academic Research & Assessment at UNC Charlotte. She serves as a Co-PI and evaluator for this project. She provides expertise in education research, assessment, and evaluation for higher education studies on best practices for improving student learning and success.
Dr. Robert S. Keynton http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5581-0500 University of North Carolina at Charlotte [biography]

Robert S. Keynton is currently Dean of The William States Lee College of Engineering at UNC Charlotte and professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering and Engineering Science. He received the B.S. degree in engineering science and mechanics from Virginia Tech and M.S. and Ph.D. degrees from the University of Akron. Prior to joining UNC Charlotte, he served as the founding chair, Professor and Lutz Endowed Chair of the Department of Bioengineering and Interim Executive Vice President for Research and Innovation at the University of Louisville. He is the co-Chair of the Academic Partnership Council for the Society for Hispanic Professional Engineers and Fellow in the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering, Biomedical Engineering Society and National Academy of Inventors.

Note

The full paper will be available to logged in and registered conference attendees once the conference starts on June 21, 2026, and to all visitors after the conference ends on June 24, 2026

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