Date
Publisher
arXiv
As Artificial Intelligence (AI) increasingly impacts professional practice,
there is a growing need to AI-related competencies into higher education
curricula. However, research on the implementation of AI education within study
programs remains limited and requires new forms of collaboration across
disciplines. This study addresses this gap and explores perspectives on
interdisciplinary curriculum development through the lens of different
stakeholders. In particular, we examine the case of curriculum development for
a novel undergraduate program in AI in engineering. The research uses a mixed
methods approach, combining quantitative curriculum mapping with qualitative
focus group interviews. In addition to assessing the alignment of the
curriculum with the targeted competencies, the study also examines the
perceived quality, consistency, practicality and effectiveness from both
academic and industry perspectives, as well as differences in perceptions
between educators who were involved in the development and those who were not.
The findings provide a practical understanding of the outcomes of
interdisciplinary AI curriculum development and contribute to a broader
understanding of how educator participation in curriculum development
influences perceptions of quality aspects. It also advances the field of AI
education by providing a reference point and insights for further
interdisciplinary curriculum developments in response to evolving industry
needs.
Study at a glance
- Question: How do academic and industry experts evaluate a new interdisciplinary undergraduate artificial intelligence curriculum for engineering?
- Setting and data: An undergraduate program in artificial intelligence in engineering, involving academic and industry stakeholders and educators.
- Method: Mixed methods combining quantitative curriculum mapping with qualitative focus group interviews.
Why it matters
As artificial intelligence increasingly impacts professional practice, there is a growing need for AI competencies in higher education. However, research on implementing AI education across disciplines remains limited.
Key findings
- In an undergraduate AI engineering program, whether educators participated in curriculum development influenced how they perceived quality aspects of the curriculum.
- Educators involved in the curriculum's development held different perceptions of it compared to educators who did not participate.
- The interdisciplinary curriculum provided practical outcomes and reference points for aligning AI engineering education with evolving industry needs.
Summary drafted with AI from the paper’s abstract and may contain errors. See the full paper for details.
Who age?
Study design
