AlZoubi garners NSF grant to pioneer AI-enhanced learning system at ̫ӳ
Contact: Bethany Shipp
STARKVILLE, Miss.—A Mississippi State researcher is receiving a $203,900 grant from the National Science Foundation to develop a novel Artificial Intelligence-enhanced learning system for engineering education.
Dana AlZoubi, assistant clinical professor in ̫ӳ’s Department of Industrial Technology, Instructional Design, and Community College Leadership within the College of Education, is the principal investigator of the grant, which is part of a $900,000 collaborative project with the Stevens Institute of Technology and the University of Utah. The grant is funded by NSF’s Research and Innovative Technologies for Enhanced Learning, or RITEL, program.
With the three-year grant, AlZoubi will empirically examine an innovative learning and teaching method facilitated by an AI-enhanced learning platform. She aims to design, develop and test a technology-mediated learning system to serve as an on-demand educator for construction engineering students outside the classroom. The grant project will add a new and transformative dimension to engineering education by integrating students’ unstructured observations of engineering projects and operations during everyday activities and site visits with their formal education through cutting-edge AI solutions.
“This project uniquely combines a human-centered design approach with novel AI technology,” AlZoubi said. “It will empower students by co-designing learning tools that provide real-time and personalized support for engineering education.”
The learning system will be integrated with a mobile app that students can use when facing a construction site to help them understand the main construction components, link their observations to classroom learning and generate reports for instructors to help them adjust course activities accordingly. While the project will be developed in the context of construction engineering, AlZoubi hopes it can be transferred to other disciplines in the future.
“We are proud of Dr. AlZoubi’s NSF grant, which exemplifies our commitment to innovative education,” said Vance Durrington, head of ̫ӳ’s Department of Industrial Technology, Instructional Design, and Community College Leadership. “By merging AI with human-centered design, her work will transform engineering education and inspire students to connect theory with real-world practice.”
̫ӳ’s College of Education is home to five academic departments, a division of education, one research unit and numerous service units. Learn more about its Department of Industrial Technology, Instructional Design, and Community College Leadership .
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