Perez, J. O., & Fuqua, J. L., & Zhao, Y. (2025, April), Understanding the impact of an AI student assistant in the VR thermal fluids lab on student learning outcomes  Paper presented at 2025 ASEE PSW Conference, California Polytechnic University, California. 10.18260/1-2--55196

\bibitem{asee_peer_55196}
  Perez, J. O., \& Fuqua, J. L., \& Zhao, Y. (2025, April), \emph{Understanding the impact of an AI student assistant in the VR thermal fluids lab on student learning outcomes}
  Paper presented at 2025 ASEE PSW Conference, California Polytechnic University, California.
  10.18260/1-2--55196

Jessica Ohanian Perez, Juliana Lynn Fuqua, and Yitong Zhao.  "Understanding the impact of an AI student assistant in the VR thermal fluids lab on student learning outcomes".  2025 ASEE PSW Conference, California Polytechnic University, California, 2025, April.  ASEE Conferences, 2025.  https://peer.asee.org/55196 Internet.  18 Jul, 2025

\bibitem{asee_peer_55196}
  Jessica Ohanian Perez, Juliana Lynn Fuqua, and Yitong Zhao.
  "Understanding the impact of an AI student assistant in the VR thermal fluids lab on student learning outcomes".
  \emph{2025 ASEE PSW Conference, California Polytechnic University, California, 2025, April}.
  ASEE Conferences, 2025.
  https://peer.asee.org/55196 Internet.  18 Jul, 2025

@INPROCEEDINGS{asee_peer_55196
author = "Jessica Ohanian Perez, Juliana Lynn Fuqua, and Yitong Zhao"
title = "Understanding the impact of an AI student assistant in the VR thermal fluids lab on student learning outcomes"
booktitle = "2025 ASEE PSW Conference"
year = "2025"
month = "April"
address = "California Polytechnic University, California"
publisher = "ASEE Conferences"
note = {https://peer.asee.org/55196}
number = {10.18260/1-2--55196}
}

TY  - CPAPER
AB  - 
The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the challenges and opportunities in laboratory instruction, prompting a re-evaluation of how we engage students. Coupled with issues such as limited space and increasing student populations, this has sparked a need for more innovative solutions. This project examines the effectiveness of incorporating an artificial intelligence (AI) assistant into a thermal fluid laboratory experiment. The virtual reality (VR) lab, developed by student assistants and the principal investigator, utilizes Generative Pretrained Transformer (GPT) technology to power the AI. The primary aim of the VR is to enhance student engagement in the lab, while the AI's role is to bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical engineering application. The experiment was conducted in a senior-level mechanical engineering course during the spring semester of 2024, replacing a traditionally excluded topic due to cost constraints. Student groups participated in the experiment in three different formats: traditional, VR-only, and VR with the AI assistant. While students acknowledged that the VR and AI provided valuable educational experiences, they noted limitations such as the absence of haptic feedback and the AI's long-winded responses. Despite these shortcomings, students appreciated the increased engagement and the enhanced accessibility the VR provided, making the experience more inclusive.
AU  - Jessica Ohanian Perez
AU  - Juliana Lynn Fuqua
AU  - Yitong Zhao
CY  - California Polytechnic University, California
DA  - 2025/04/10
PB  - ASEE Conferences
TI  - Understanding the impact of an AI student assistant in the VR thermal fluids lab on student learning outcomes
UR  - https://peer.asee.org/55196
DO  - 10.18260/1-2--55196
ER  -