State University Ernesto Cuesta is a PhD student in the Engineering Education Department at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech) in Blacksburg, VA. He holds a B.Sc. in Telecommunications Engineering and an M.S. in Project Management. Before beginning his doctoral studies, he spent eight years in the telecommunications industry, leading data-center swaps and managing large-scale network deployments. As a Graduate Teaching Assistant, he supports Virginia Tech’s interdisciplinary IDPro course, mentoring students through project-based learning and facilitating teamwork across engineering disciplines. His research interests center on student motivation in experiential learning environments
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. TheRobotics program might introduce a module called “Ethics of AI in Academia” at the semester'sstart to discuss acceptable practices thoroughly.Integrating GenAI into the curriculum can enhance the learning experience when approachedthoughtfully. Students suggest that instructors incorporate GenAI into demonstrations orassignments, guided by clear pedagogical objectives. For example, in a robotics programmingcourse, an instructor could use ChatGPT to generate a function and test it in real-time on a robotsimulator, showcasing both successes and failures. This method captivates student interest whileteaching valuable lessons on the iterative process of using AI-generated code. In writing-intensivecomponents, such as project reports, instructors may