Date
Publisher
arXiv
This study explores how graduate students in an urban planning program
transitioned from passive users of generative AI to active creators of custom
GPT-based knowledge tools. Drawing on Self-Determination Theory (SDT), which
emphasizes the psychological needs of autonomy, competence, and relatedness as
foundations for intrinsic motivation, the research investigates how the act of
designing AI tools influences students' learning experiences, identity
formation, and engagement with knowledge. The study is situated within a
two-term curriculum, where students first used instructor-created GPTs to
support qualitative research tasks and later redesigned these tools to create
their own custom applications, including the Interview Companion GPT. Using
qualitative thematic analysis of student slide presentations and focus group
interviews, the findings highlight a marked transformation in students' roles
and mindsets. Students reported feeling more autonomous as they chose the
functionality, design, and purpose of their tools, more competent through the
acquisition of AI-related skills such as prompt engineering and iterative
testing, and more connected to peers through team collaboration and a shared
sense of purpose. The study contributes to a growing body of evidence that
student agency can be powerfully activated when learners are invited to
co-design the very technologies they use. The shift from AI tool users to AI
tool designers reconfigures students' relationships with technology and
knowledge, transforming them from consumers into co-creators in an evolving
educational landscape.
Study at a glance
- Question: How does transitioning from using to designing custom generative AI tools influence students' learning experiences and agency?
- Setting and data: A master's urban planning program in Singapore, 17 graduate students across two terms, analyzing student presentation slides and four focus group interview transcripts.
- Method: Qualitative thematic analysis using Self-Determination Theory
Why it matters
Students typically consume generative AI outputs as end-users, which risks passive learning. Little research explores how actively designing domain-specific AI tools shapes learner agency, motivation, and knowledge ownership.
Key findings
- Designing custom GPTs fostered student autonomy by allowing learners to decide the purpose, features, and content of their own AI tools.
- Students gained competence and confidence by acquiring technical skills like prompt engineering and moving from passive acceptance of AI outputs to critical evaluation.
- Tool co-creation supported relatedness through team collaboration, peer testing, and a shared goal of leaving behind useful tools for future cohorts.
Summary drafted with AI from the full paper and may contain errors. See the full paper for details.
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