Computing & Engineering in the Age of AI

Project Summary

Computing & Engineering in the Age of AI is a course-level and curricular initiative that explores how advances in generative AI are reshaping what it means to learn, practice, and assess computing and engineering. Rather than treating AI as a prohibited shortcut or a novelty tool, this work reframes AI as a permanent feature of the professional landscape and focuses on helping students develop skills that remain valuable in an AI-enabled world.

This project aligns with the BOBPE mission by integrating bot-based tools into coursework in ways that emphasize understanding, judgment, and adaptability.

Educational Problem Addressed

Traditional computing and engineering courses often emphasize procedural skills and manual production, even as professional practice increasingly involves AI-assisted workflows. This mismatch risks preparing students for a past version of the field rather than the environments they will encounter after graduation.

At the same time, uncertainty around appropriate AI use has led to inconsistent policies, confusion among students, and missed opportunities for meaningful integration.

How AI Is Used

AI is integrated into coursework to:

  • Support code reading, explanation, and critique
  • Provide feedback on student reasoning and communication
  • Assist with debugging and reflection rather than solution generation
  • Serve as a subject of analysis and evaluation within assignments
  • Model responsible, transparent AI use in professional contexts

Students are encouraged to work with AI while remaining accountable for understanding and outcomes.

Course Design Philosophy

The course design emphasizes:

  • Understanding over memorization
  • Explanation over production
  • Critical evaluation of AI-generated outputs
  • Transparency in AI use and attribution
  • Preparation for AI-augmented professional practice

Assignments are structured to make student thinking visible and assess learning that cannot be easily outsourced.

Example Course Artifacts

Deployment Context

Status: Active course deployment
These ideas have been implemented across multiple courses, including introductory computing and upper-division engineering labs, with ongoing refinement based on student outcomes and instructional experience.

Alignment with BOBPE Mission

This project demonstrates how the principles of BOBPE extend beyond individual tools to shape course design and assessment philosophy. By integrating AI in transparent, pedagogically grounded ways, it supports scalable personalization while preparing students for the realities of AI-augmented engineering practice.