Digital transformation in engineering education: Exploring the potential of AI-assisted learning

Abstract

This research explored the potential of artificial intelligence (AI)-assisted learning using ChatGPT in an engineering course at a university in South-east Asia. The study investigated the benefits and challenges that students may encounter when utilising ChatGPT-3.5 as a learning tool. This research developed an AI-assisted learning flow that empowers learners and lecturers to integrate ChatGPT into their teaching and learning processes. The flow was subsequently used to validate and assess a variety of exercises, tutorial tasks and assessment-like questions for the course under study. Introducing a self-rating system allowed the study to facilitate users in assessing the generative responses. The findings indicate that ChatGPT has significant potential to assist students; however, there is a necessity for training and offering guidance to students on effective interactions with ChatGPT. The study contributes to the evidence of the potential of AI-assisted learning and identifies areas for future research in refining the use of AI tools to better support students' educational journey.

Implications for practice or policy

• Educators and administrators could review the usage of ChatGPT in an engineering technology course and study the implications of generative AI tools in higher education.
• Academics could adapt and modify the proposed AI-assisted learning flow in this paper to suit their classroom.
• Students can review and adopt the proposed AI-assisted learning flow in this paper for their studies.
• Researchers could follow up on the application of ChatGPT in teaching and learning: teaching quality and student experience, academic integrity and assessment design.