Conference Session

AI Integration in Engineering Economy Course

Collection

2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Hamed Samandari, University of Massachusetts Dartmouth

Tagged Topics

Diversity

Tagged Divisions

Engineering Economy Division (EED)

, ensuring that students are equipped with the skills necessary to thrivein an AI-driven world. This growing integration of AI tools into curricula promises to driveinnovation in teaching methods, assessment, and the broader educational ecosystem, preparingfuture engineers to navigate and contribute to an AI-powered landscape.Recent studies highlight the growing integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools inengineering education, reflecting both their potential and challenges. For instance, Subramanianand Vidalis [1] explore AI-powered tools, including generative models like ChatGPT, thatfacilitate interactive, personalized learning experiences in engineering classrooms shortly afterthey are becoming readily available to the public. They

Conference Session

Elements of decision making in engineering economics education

Collection

2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Matt Gordon, University of Denver; Daniel D Auger, University of Denver

Tagged Divisions

Engineering Economy Division (EED)

formed with the most common responses being early 62-64, middle 65-67, or late 68-70). They were then asked to refine their arguments, and the projectculminated with an in-class debate.The authors found that this problem-based learning exercise was very beneficial in motivatingthe students to better learn and apply the course material. And, as a bonus, the instructors had amuch better idea as to when to start their social security benefits!IntroductionMost engineering programs require that students take a course in engineering economics as wellas ethics. Previous authors [1-3] have introduced the idea of using Social Security as a case studyto teach economics in graduate programs. Their work, as they hoped, has sparked us to alsopursue a Social

Conference Session

AI Integration in Engineering Economy Course

Collection

2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Billy Gray, Tarleton State University; Gloria Margarita Fragoso-Diaz

Tagged Divisions

Engineering Economy Division (EED)

FERPAviolations, a local instance of an LLM was utilized. Different scenarios were run, where thescenarios changed how the LLM was prompted and rated responses affected subsequentassessments.For this study, three questions are considered. 1. Is there a difference between the ratings provided by the instructor and those provided in the scenarios? 2. Is there agreement between the ratings provided by the instructor and those provided in the scenarios? 3. Is there a time savings created by using the LLM compared against the instructor?BackgroundAI has been around for decades and its continuance and improvements are expected. A briefhistory into AI’s incorporation into Higher Education is introduced along with a discussion of thecomponents

Conference Session

AI Integration in Engineering Economy Course

Collection

2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Raymond L. Smith III, East Carolina University; Ricky T Castles, East Carolina University; Emily Fuller Sondergard

Tagged Topics

Diversity

Tagged Divisions

Engineering Economy Division (EED)

revealed strong student perceptions of the chatbot’srole in fostering critical thinking and clarifying professional obligations. These results suggest that AI-supported tools, when thoughtfully designed and aligned with instructional goals, can enhance ethicseducation in engineering. Future work will explore refining chatbot interaction styles, expandingcurricular integration, and adapting implementations across varied learning environments to supportbroader development of ethical decision-making skills.1. IntroductionEngineering Ethics and Engineering EconomyThe importance of ethical decision-making in engineering practice is widely recognized and reinforcedthrough professional standards, accreditation criteria, and licensure examinations

Conference Session

AI Integration in Engineering Economy Course

Collection

2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Dani Fadda, University of Texas at Dallas; Oziel Rios, University of Texas at Dallas; P.l.stephan Thamban

Tagged Divisions

Engineering Economy Division (EED)

Education, 2025 Artificial Intelligence in an Online Engineering Economy ClassAbstractArtificial Intelligence (AI) tools are abundantly available to anyone using a device with Internetconnection. While the improper use of AI in higher education can mean cheating duringsummative assessments, the focus of this paper is to present evidence that the student’s curiosityto investigate AI tools can be leveraged in formative assessments. Encouragement from thefaculty can turn the AI tools into learning enhancers while the integrity of the major courseassessments can be maintained by proctoring.IntroductionIn the presence of AI, people can interact and receive real-time feedback by creating and usingeffective prompts [1]. Students are increasingly

Conference Session

Elements of decision making in engineering economics education

Collection

2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Hartanto Wibowo, Iowa State University of Science and Technology; Jon Matthews Rouse

Tagged Divisions

Engineering Economy Division (EED)

coursework,and broadening the students’ perspective.IntroductionAlthough the course title might vary, engineering economics is a common component of manyengineering curricula across the United States. The topics in engineering economics aresometimes combined with topics in professional ethics and licensure in a semester-long courseoffering. In the ABET accreditation criteria, two of the seven student outcomes are related toeconomic issues [1]. Furthermore, for a civil engineering program, the curriculum must includebasic concepts in project management and business [1], and engineering economics is typicallythe first course to introduce the principles of microeconomics to civil engineering students if theyhave not taken an introductory course in

Conference Session

Elements of decision making in engineering economics education

Collection

2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Gbetonmasse B Somasse, Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Tagged Divisions

Engineering Economy Division (EED)

education, accreditationbodies like the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) encourage theintegration of economic considerations throughout the engineering curriculum, suggesting thateconomic principles and analysis may be incorporated into various courses and projects forengineering students. Programs such as civil engineering include an explanation of concepts andprinciples in project management and engineering economics in student outcomes [1]. Thecurriculum must explain some, but not necessarily all, of the key concepts and principles, andthere is no obligation to assess students’ ability to explain the key concepts and principles.Most undergraduate engineering programs introduce economics through a complete course

Conference Session

AI Integration in Engineering Economy Course

Collection

2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Katie Leanne Basinger, University of Florida; Andrew Benjamin McGrath, University of Florida; Henry Maxwell Gonzalez, University of Florida

Tagged Divisions

Engineering Economy Division (EED)

Learning Framework portion of the paperThe theoretical frameworks of Behaviorism [1] and Cognitivism [2] support that learning is bestachieved when supplemented with activity [3]. Behaviorism indicates that when studentsperform a behavior, they learn that topic on a deeper level. For example, consider a class incollege that you felt was the most useful. Most of the time, that class had a lot of examples andpractice in class in which you could apply the material. Cognitivism allows students to apply thetopics through open-ended assignments like case studies or group discussions to better learn thetopic [4]. By applying the concepts directly in activities in class, students

Conference Session

Elements of decision making in engineering economics education

Collection

2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Robert J. Rabb P.E., Pennsylvania State University; Paul Mittan, Pennsylvania State University; Ted Graef, Pennsylvania State University

Tagged Divisions

Engineering Economy Division (EED)

business and management; and Able to provideleadership with the ability to effect change in strategies, tactics, policies, and procedures inprojects and other roles [1]. Many other discipline specific organizations have produced visiondocuments [2] – [3].The NSPE also defines 30 capabilities for engineers to know and be able to do by the time ofentry into professional practice. Engineering Economics is one of the capabilities and is essentialin comparing alternatives. Engineers are expected to be able to prepare detailed cost estimates ofinitial capital and annual operation, maintenance, repair, and replacement costs for a project.Additionally, Project Management is another one of the capabilities specified by the NSPE.Project management is the

Conference Session

Elements of decision making in engineering economics education

Collection

2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Tamara R Etmannski, University of British Columbia, Vancouver; Mohosina Jabin Toma, University of British Columbia, Vancouver; Johan Foster, University of British Columbia, Vancouver

Tagged Divisions

Engineering Economy Division (EED)

ongoing development of Open Educational Resources (OER) inthe field of engineering economics. OER offers a scalable solution to affordability andaccessibility challenges in higher education. This paper presents a case study of theimplementation and evaluation of newly developed OER in undergraduate EngineeringEconomics courses at the University of British Columbia (UBC) [1]. By replacing commercialtextbooks with comprehensive open-source instructional materials, this study explores instructoradoption, pedagogical effectiveness, and student performance outcomes. Results indicate thatOER led to approximately $30,000 in textbook cost savings, while leading to comparablemidterm averages across departments. Survey responses from instructors