Artificial Intelligence and Robotics Commons^™

The Impact Of Llms Usage On Learning Outcomes For Software Development Students: A Focus On Prompt Engineering, Mohammed Owaidh Aljohani

CGU Theses & Dissertations

This study investigates the impact of large language model (LLM) usage, specifically ChatGPT, on student learning outcomes in programming education. The research adopts a mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative survey data from students and qualitative interviews with instructors. The study addresses three research questions: (1) the effect of LLM usage on undergraduate students' learning outcomes, (2) the influence of prompt engineering skills on this relationship, and (3) instructors' perceptions on these relationships. Quantitative data were collected from 159 students across two Saudi universities using a structured online survey with sections covering demographic information, LLM usage, self-reported programming understanding, and prompt engineering …

Perceptions Of Artificial Intelligence Use To Enhance Feedback For Preservice Teachers During Field Experiences, Betsy Schamber

Dissertations and Theses

University supervisors (USs) play a key role in providing feedback for preservice teachers (PSTs). Although artificial intelligence (AI)’s use in providing feedback in educational settings had been explored, its use for feedback for PSTs’ field experience remained unknown. The first case study herein explores PSTs’ perceptions of AI-assisted feedback for field experiences. Findings highlighted PSTs’ perceptions of AI as a catalyst for new idea generation. While AI provided a starting point, the ending output still needed to reflect PSTs’ personalities. Similarly, PSTs valued the human element of feedback, noting how USs’ lived experiences provided an added value. In K–12 classrooms, …

Ally With Ai: An Icebreaker To Unlock Career Aspirations For Online Or Hybrid Organizational Behavior Cohorts, Jyro B. Triviño

Leadership and Strategy Faculty Publications

Modern organizational behavior classroom, which are increasing in size, diversity, and complexity, are shifting to online and hybrid learning environments, challenging the use of traditional icebreaker activities. This paper introduces a 15-minute icebreaker designed to address these issues while integrating the principles of Kolb's experiential learning theory and fostering social capital through peerr engagement in an online setting. By leveraging the availability of generative AI, students prompt a template code to unlock their career aspirations and stimulate social connections among their classmates. This provides an innovative teaching model for meeting the foundational icebreaker goal while serving a suitable tool for …

Extending A Pretrained Language Model (Bert) Using An Ontological Perspective To Classify Students' Scientific Expertise Level From Written Responses, Heqiao Wang, Kevin C. Haudek, Amanda D. Manzanares, Chelsie L. Romulo, Emily A. Royse, Caterina B. Azzarello

Human Movement Studies & Special Education Faculty Publications

The complex and interdisciplinary nature of scientific concepts presents formidable challenges for students in developing their knowledge-in-use skills. The utilization of computerized analysis for evaluating students' contextualized constructed responses offers a potential avenue for educators to develop personalized and scalable interventions, thus supporting the current teaching and learning of science. While prior research in artificial intelligence has demonstrated the effectiveness of algorithms, including Bidirectional Encoder Representations from Transformers (BERT), in tasks like automated classifications of constructed responses, these efforts have predominantly leaned towards text-level features, often overlooking the exploration of conceptual ideas embedded in students' responses from a cognitive perspective. …

Future Of Bse Days 2025: Growing A Regenerative Bse, Derek M. Heeren, Santosh Pitla, Jennifer R. Keshwani, Mark Stone

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Presentations and White Papers

The Future of BSE Days 2025: Growing a Regenerative BSE brought together over 150 faculty, staff, students, and partners to envision the next quarter-century of the Department of Biological Systems Engineering. The event emphasized regeneration—not only of resources and ecosystems, but also of ideas, learning models, and relationships. Across seven major sessions—three Spark Talks and four Pillar Workshops—participants explored how BSE can thrive amid technological disruption, demographic change, and societal transformation.

Key Outcomes

Redefining Impact: This session challenged participants to evolve from counting outputs to valuing relationships, collaboration, and community well-being.

Adaptive Learning Models: This discussion introduced design studios, micro-credentials, …

Comparative Analysis Of Eye-Metric Algorithms For Code Comprehension In Introductory Cs Course, Noushin Gauhar

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Eye-tracking technology offers a non-intrusive way to study cognitive processes by tracking where and how long individuals look. In computer science education, it provides valuable insights into how students understand source code—a task that requires intense visual and mental effort. This study investigates how eye-tracking can reveal differences in code comprehension strategies among students in an Introductory Programming course. By analyzing three key metrics—dwell time, gaze entropy, and the K coefficient—the research explores how students engage with code. Dwell time indicates cognitive focus on specific code elements, the K coefficient measures attentional shifts between scanning and focused reading, and gaze …

Examining Non-Traditional Online Learners' Ownership Of Learning In The Context Of Chatgpt-Facilitated Design, Mohan Yang, Tian Luo, Kristin Herman, Belle Li, Shanan Chappell Moots, Noah Glaser, Shiyan Jiang

STEMPS Faculty Publications

Generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) offers potential solutions to educational challenges by personalizing learning experiences for diverse learners. However, it also introduces complexities around issues of ownership of learning. As an indicator of empowered learning, ownership is a multifaceted but underexplored concept. In this study, the authors adopted a mixed-methods multiple-case study design to explore non-traditional online students’ perceived ownership of learning when using ChatGPT for instructional design. The authors adopted the psychology ownership construct consisting of self-efficacy, accountability, belongingness, and self-identity as the theoretical framework. Findings revealed students’ prior AI experiences and educational levels played a significant role in their …

Embracing Ai In Higher Education: Redefining Teaching And Learning In The Digital Era, Najem Tala, Leila Halawi

Publications

This research explores the transformative potential of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in education, focusing on its ability to address emerging challenges and revolutionize teaching practices. We critically assess the current educational landscape, evaluate AI's role as a catalyst for educational reform, and examine implementation challenges. Our analysis emphasizes the evolving impact of AI on personalized learning, student engagement, and administrative efficiency and contributes to the growing body of literature on educational technology. The discussion highlights both the opportunities and limitations of AI in education, pointing to critical areas that remain underexplored.

Enhancing Adhd Diagnosis In College Students Using Multimodal Integration Of Nicats And Iva-2 Tools, Rushmila Shabneen

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

This study explores enhanced methods for accurately identifying Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) indicators in college students. ADHD, a neurodevelopmental disorder, impacts attention, impulse control, and emotional regulation, often leading to academic and social difficulties. Many students remain undiagnosed due to symptom overlap with stress and other factors. Traditional tools like the IVA-2 assess behavioral responses but may not fully capture ADHD complexity. This research integrates IVA-2 data with multimodal metrics from the Non-Intrusive Classroom Attention Tracking System (NiCATS), which monitors facial expressions, eye movements, and computer interactions. Preliminary results show that combining these tools improves ADHD detection, reduces false …

Problem-Centered Post-Secondary Computer Science Education: A Study Of The Private Artificial Intelligence Curriculum, Golnoush Haddadian, Prajwal Panzade, Daniel Takabi, Min Kyu Kim

School of Cybersecurity Faculty Publications

In response to the demand for Artificial Intelligence (AI) experts, this study introduced a curriculum development initiative. The aim was to design and implement a Private AI curriculum to understand the computer science (CS) students’ evaluations of the curricular activities and their levels of interest and motivation. Twenty-five students, a mix of undergraduates and graduates, were recruited and a scaled-down version of the curriculum was implemented. A parallel mixed-methods approach was employed. The results reinforced the significance of problem-centered curricula in CS context. Students rated the curricular activities highly and demonstrated strong motivation; however, graduates expressed more favorable view of …

Exploring The Impact Of Generative Ai Chatgpt On Critical Thinking In Higher Education: Passive Ai-Directed Use Or Human-Ai Supported Collaboration?, Nesma Ragab Nasr, Chih-Hsiung Tu, Jennifer Werner, Tonia Bauer, Cherng-Jyh Yen, Laura Sujo-Montes

STEMPS Faculty Publications

Generative AI is weaving into the fabric of many human aspects through its transformative power to mimic human-generated content. It is not a mere technology; it functions as a generative virtual assistant, raising concerns about its impact on cognition and critical thinking. This mixed-methods study investigates how GenAI ChatGPT affects critical thinking across cognitive presence (CP) phases. Forty students from a four-year university in the southwestern United States completed a survey; six provided their ChatGPT scripts, and two engaged in semi-structured interviews. Students’ self-reported survey responses suggested that GenAI ChatGPT improved triggering events (M = 3.60), exploration (M = 3.70), …

Examining Teaching Competencies And Challenges While Integrating Artificial Intelligence In Higher Education, Xinyue Ren, Min Lun Wu

STEMPS Faculty Publications

The rapid development of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies has demonstrated their affordances and limitations in revolutionizing pedagogical strategies in higher education. Given the lack of guidelines, policies, and resources to assist instructors in efficiently and ethically integrating AI into teaching and learning practices, this systematic review aimed to investigate AI integration competencies and challenges in higher education from the intelligent Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) perspective. We first applied the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) to identify 23 studies published between 2019 and 2023 that met the inclusion and exclusion criteria. After conducting open coding and …

Advancing Pedagogical And Instructional Design Through Artificial Intelligence (Ai) In Education And Training Contexts, Mohan Yang, Jewoong Moon, Tian Luo, Jinhee Kim

STEMPS Faculty Publications

[Introduction] "The only way to discover the limits of the possible is to go beyond them into the impossible." - Arthur C. Clarke

It is our pleasure and honor as guest editors for this special issue of the Journal of Applied Instructional Design (JAID) to present "Advancing Pedagogical and Instructional Design through Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Education and Training Contexts." This issue arrives at a truly timely moment, as the rapid and continuous development of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) is fundamentally reshaping the traditional paradigms of teaching, learning, and training.

Overcoming Resistance To Ai In Higher Education: A Case Study, C. Tomovic, M. Tomovic

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Faculty Publications

While the deployment of AI in business and industry is widely acknowledged for its potential to improve efficiencies, decision-making, and automation, its implementation often encounters several challenges. These include integrating AI with existing systems, ensuring data quality and availability, bridging the employee skills gap, overcoming resistance to change, addressing ethical concerns, managing costs, complying with regulations, and handling ongoing maintenance and updates. In the context of higher education, however, the challenges take a different shape. Faculty members may express concerns about how AI could disrupt traditional teaching methods, necessitate changes in course delivery, and raise issues related to job security …

Leveraging Custom Gpts For Formative Assessment And Feedback, Nari Kim, Jason Vickers, Shaimaa Alyehaibi, Chikezie Ozuzu, Xinyue Ren, Suhasini Kotcherlakota

STEMPS Faculty Publications

As artificial intelligence (AI) advances, the use of custom generative pre-trained transformers (Custom GPTs) in formative assessments opens new opportunities for improving student learning and engagement. Custom GPTs increase cognitive and emotional engagement by providing timely, context-sensitive, and tailored responses based on unique learner profiles. This paper aims to investigate how custom GPT-driven formative feedback can enhance individualized learning experiences and improve student performance. This paper will discuss the promise of this AI tool, the challenges associated with its application, and recommendations for educators and academics looking to use these technologies for formative assessments.

T3-Ciders: Train-The-Trainer And Community Building To Increase Cyberinfrastructure Adoption In Cybersecurity Research And Education, Wirawan Purwanto, Mohan Yang, Peng Jiang, Shanan Chappell Moots, Masha Sosonkina, Hongyi Wu

University Administration Publications

T³-CIDERS is a train-the-trainer program to increase the adoption of advanced cyberinfrastructure (CI) and data skills into the fabric of research and education in cybersecurity and cyber-related disciplines. T³-CIDERS trains faculty, researchers, and students as “future trainers” (FTs) with hands-on technical and instructional skills to enable more people to effectively leverage CI in cybersecurity. The program includes a series of technical pre-training modules, a weeklong summer institute, ongoing learning engagements conducted over an academic year; it culminates with the FTs conducting locally tailored CI-infused training events at their respective home institutions. Ultimately, T³-CIDERS aims to build a “CI+cybersecurity” community of …

Quantifying The Transfer Effectiveness Of An Artificial Intelligence-Based Simulator Pre-Training Program For Student Pilots, Ryan Guthridge

Journal of Aviation/Aerospace Education & Research

Since the airline pilot shortage was initially studied in 2016, the pilot hiring model has been significantly impacted, with airlines hiring qualified pilots at unprecedented rates. The COVID-19 pandemic has slowed this hiring rate, however it is expected that airline hiring will soon increase to a rate higher than initially expected (Bureau of Transportation Statistics, 2022). With this dynamic, certified flight instructors are often the most qualified recruits for airlines, due to the number of hours and experience they have gained in the flight training organization. In turn, certified flight instructors are in short supply for flight training organizations worldwide. …

Personalized Physics Learning Through Ai: Insights From Problem Generation, Chatbot Dialogues, And Intelligent Tutoring Systems, Atharva Dange

Physics Dissertations - Archive

Artificial intelligence (AI) is poised to transform science education, yet questions remain on how best to integrate these technologies into teaching and learning. This dissertation investigates the use of AI-driven tools in university physics courses through three complementary studies. In the first study, a generative language model (ChatGPT) was used to create novel physics homework problems aligned with course objectives. Analysis showed that, after expert vetting, AI-generated questions can foster higher-order problem-solving and reduce student reliance on solution memorization, though careful instructor oversight is required to ensure accuracy. The second study embedded an AI chatbot as a learning aid in …

Socially Shared Regulation Of Learning And Artificial Intelligence: Opportunities To Support Socially Shared Regulation, Jinhee Kim, Rita Detrick, Seongryeong Yu, Yukyeong Song, Linda Bol, Na Li

STEMPS Faculty Publications

Supporting learners in achieving high-level socially shared regulation of learning (SSRL) in the online collaborative learning (OCL) context presents challenges that the utilization of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies may help solve. However, the effective uses of AI to support multifaceted areas (cognition, metacognition, and motivation) and phases (forethought, performance, and reflection) of SSRL remain elusive. Furthermore, research on developing an educational AI and what pedagogical attributes and elements are required for AI to support students' SSRL effectively is limited. This study, therefore, aims to investigate students' perceptions of AI applications in enhancing SSRL and to explore the essential pedagogical elements …

The Integration Of Artificial Intelligence And Ontologies: Transformations In Knowledge Representation And Application, Grazia Serratore, Julaine Clunis

STEMPS Faculty Publications

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is reshaping the landscape of knowledge representation. There is an increasingly strong bidirectional relationship, between AI techniques and ontologies. AI techniques revolutionized traditional, manual ontology development and contribute to automated ontology construction, while ontologies enhance the performance of AI systems and their semantic accuracy. Through a comprehensive review of current literature, this paper aims to examine: i) how Machine Learning (ML) techniques contribute to the automated construction, refinement, and validation of ontologies; ii) the most widely used and effective ML approaches for ontology construction; iii) how domain-specific requirements influence the selection and adaptation of AI techniques for …

Designing Ai-Powered Learning: Adult Learners' Expectations For Curriculum And Human-Ai Interaction, Jinhee Kim, Seongryeong Yu, Rita Detrick, Xi Lin, Na Li

STEMPS Faculty Publications

Despite the potential benefits offered by GenAI technologies to provide innovative solutions to address distinct challenges faced by working adult learners (ALs) in higher education and beyond, there is limited understanding of how best to structure AI-powered learning for this population while ensuring their distinct needs and perspectives are considered. Hence, this study aimed to determine what curriculum and student-AI interaction would be required by situating ALs’ views. Through analyzing 48 e-portfolios and in-depth interviews with 20 ALs from diverse educational and professional backgrounds, the study found that ALs perceived content mastery and developing a lifelong habit of learning as …

Editorial: Ai's Impact On Higher Education: Transforming Research, Teaching, And Learning, Alyse Jordan, Ashley L. Dockens, Natalia Anastasia Pierson, Xinyue Ren

STEMPS Faculty Publications

[Introduction] This Research Topic provides a comprehensive examination of how artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming higher education. The collected studies reveal several interconnected themes that illuminate both the opportunities and challenges of AI integration in academic settings. This editorial summarizes these themes and articulates their significance for the future of higher education.

Using Quanser Platform To Introduce Engineering Technology Students To Autonomous Vehicles, Otilia Popescu, Logan Beaver, Murat Kuzlu, Krishnanand Kaipa

Engineering Technology Faculty Publications

The area of autonomous vehicles is not new, but the latest advances in various technologies gave it a new boost in the last decade and it keeps growing in interest. However, undergraduate curricula rarely include courses specific to this area, which is considered mostly an interdisciplinary graduate field. While various programs introduce students to the background needed to understand and approach the field, specific work on autonomous vehicle projects is left for extra curriculum activities or student clubs, and eventually for senior (capstone) projects. This paper presents the work of a team of electrical engineering technology students on an autonomous …

Fostering Critically Conscious Lesson Planning In A Generative Artificial Intelligence Era, Derek Riddle, Paula Cristina Azevedo, Catharyn Shelton, Jaime Colwell, Jori Beck

Teaching & Learning Faculty Publications

Teacher candidates (TCs) use digital resources and social media to plan and develop learning material, and with publically accessible generative artificial intelligence (GAI), TCs are able to generate lesson plans within seconds rather than hours or days. While there is research on how to support TCs' evaluation of reliable digital media, there is little known on how to prepare TCs for GAI content. Using the complementary frameworks of Freire’s (1970) critical consciousness and Jonnasen’s (1991) theory of constructivism, this in-progress design based research seeks to develop an adaptable framework that addresses the evolving nature of technology, specifically GAI, and the …

A Case Study Using The Transparency Framework And Artificial Intelligence To Promote Effective Writing And Student Success In A Writing-Intensive Course, Elizabeth A. Brown, Maria Kronenburg, Ashlee Steeley, Diana Tagbor

Health Behavior, Policy & Management Faculty Publications

Program evaluation data suggest that undergraduate students struggle with writing in a clear and concise manner and appropriately citing. Faculty implemented the plan-do study-act cycle to pilot the Transparency in Learning and Teaching (TILT) project framework and to explore the use of artificial intelligence (AI) and discuss approaches to using AI, along with the TILT framework, in a writing-intensive course to identify the pros and cons of using ChatGPT in an online classroom. The TILT framework reinforces adult learning by helping students clearly understand the assignment's purpose and establish a clear relationship between assignment and students' professional lives. Faculty encouraged …

Am I As Effective At Identifying Emotions As Artificial Intelligence? A Comparative Study Of Emotional Recognition, Traci R. Grove, Alexandra T. Lucas, Maryann Martin, Cathleen M. Deckers, Lulu Sherif Mahmood, Nicole Danaher-Garcia, Mark W. Scerbo, Suzan Kardong-Edgren, Janice C. Palaganas

Psychology Faculty Publications

Background

Learning conversations, or dialogues aimed at deepening understanding and reflection, are deeply influenced by emotions. Effective communication is influenced by emotional intelligence - the ability to recognize, understand, and manage both one’s own and others’ emotions. While advances in artificial intelligence (AI) offer new tools for emotion recognition, these technologies still struggle with accurately interpreting subtle and culturally diverse emotional expressions, sparking debate about their reliability and effectiveness. This article provides a comparative analysis of human versus AI recognition of emotions during an end-of-course reflective learning conversation.

Methods

Emotions during a structured post-conference debriefing were analyzed and coded by …

Convergence In Cancer: Integrative Multi-Modal Modeling For Pan-Cancer Drug Response Prediction, Jessica Zylla

Dissertations and Theses

Heterogeneity and rarity can make cancer difficult to study and treat. Cancer's heterogeneity, evident in tumor locations, tumor cell types, subtypes, and microbiota within the tumor microenvironment, complicates diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment. Research into the tumor microenvironment and its microbiota is an evolving area of oncology that may advance cancer drug-patient response. Cancer-omics signatures are crucial to drug response, yet there is no tool that physicians use as a gold standard. Research indicates that microbial presence can alter drug metabolism and immune response, affecting cancer-drug efficacy on a patient-specific basis. This work highlights the need for training readiness in transdisciplinary …

Afit Generative Ai Teaching Guidebook Synopsis, Afit Faculty Learning Community, Mark G. Bateman, Brett J. Borghetti, Allen W. Dukes, Nicholas C. Francis, Mike Frick, Bobbie Oh, Kevin Patterson, Hiren J. Patel, Mark G. Reith, Erick S. Tyndall, Teresa M. Walton, Torrey J. Wagner, Timothy S. Wolfe, Jonathan Zemmer

AFIT Documents

The main objective of this work was to bring together various perspectives on how to envision incorporating Gen AI capabilities into the learning environment and identify some best practices for their implementation. Any instructor who is interested in these capabilities but does not necessarily have a technical background can find pragmatic use of the examples provided. While the examples have a wide range of applicability, they are meant to serve as a starting point for educators to explore what would be beneficial to their educational environment, from traditional classroom settings to online continuing education courses.

Uso De Herramientas De Inteligencia Artificial Generativa Por Parte De Docentes En Una Escuela Del Suroeste De Puerto Rico, Glorimar N. Rodríguez Guiliani

Theses and Dissertations

Esta disertación aplicada fue diseñada para investigar el nivel de conocimiento, uso y dificultades que enfrentan los docentes de quinto a duodécimo grado en una escuela privada del suroeste de Puerto Rico respecto a tecnologías emergentes las cuales presentan desafíos significativos para los docentes y los estudiantes. Se exploró la utilización de herramientas de inteligencia artificial generativa (GenAI) como ChatGPT dentro y fuera del aula para actividades pedagógicas y administrativas.

Los hallazgos revelaron una notable carencia en el conocimiento docente sobre el uso y habilidades de la inteligencia artificial. Se identificó, también, una deficiencia en la capacidad de los docentes …

T3-Ciders: Fostering A Community Of Practice In Ci-And Data Enabled Cybersecurity Research Through A Train-The-Trainer Program, Wirawan Purwanto, Mohan Yang, Peng Jiang, Masha Sosonkina

Electrical & Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

We present a training program named T³-CIDERS, the Train- The-Trainer approach to fostering cyberinfrastructure (CI)- and Data-Enabled Research in CyberSecurity. T³-CIDERS is a train-the-trainer program for advanced cyberinfrastructure (CI) skills that is designed to be synergistic with research, teaching, and learning activities in cybersecurity and cyber-related disciplines. The participants, termed 'future trainers' (FTs), are trained in effective instructional design and CI hands-on materials from DeapSECURE, developed in a previous CyberTraining program. T³-CIDERS aims to enhance cybersecurity research and education through broader adoption of advanced CI techniques such as artificial intelligence, big data, parallel programming, and platforms like high-performance computing (HPC) …