AI in Teaching and Research for Engineering Education

Introduction

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is becoming a valuable ally for engineering educators and researchers. Rather than focusing on theory or ethics, this overview highlights practical applications of AI in everyday teaching and research tasks. University-level engineering professors can leverage AI tools to automate routine work, personalize learning, and accelerate research breakthroughs. The following sections outline how AI is used for teaching (grading, content creation, personalized learning, lab simulations, student engagement) and for research (data analysis, simulation/modeling, literature review, writing support, workflow optimization), with real-world examples and platforms.

AI in Teaching

AI technologies offer tangible benefits in the classroom by reducing instructors’ workloads and enhancing student learning experiences. From grading automation to intelligent tutoring, professors can adopt these tools to improve efficiency and student outcomes. Key applications include:

AI-Assisted Grading

• Automated answer grouping: Tools like Gradescope use AI to cluster similar responses