Educational impacts of generative artificial intelligence on learning and performance of engineering students in China

Fuente: arXiv
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Main Authors: Fan, Lei, Deng, Kunyang, Liu, Fangxue
Format: Preprint
Published: 2025
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author Fan, Lei
Deng, Kunyang
Liu, Fangxue
author_facet Fan, Lei
Deng, Kunyang
Liu, Fangxue
contents With the rapid advancement of generative artificial intelligence(AI), its potential applications in higher education have attracted significant attention. This study investigated how 148 students from diverse engineering disciplines and regions across China used generative AI, focusing on its impact on their learning experience and the opportunities and challenges it poses in engineering education. Based on the surveyed data, we explored four key areas: the frequency and application scenarios of AI use among engineering students, its impact on students' learning and performance, commonly encountered challenges in using generative AI, and future prospects for its adoption in engineering education. The results showed that more than half of the participants reported a positive impact of generative AI on their learning efficiency, initiative, and creativity, with nearly half believing it also enhanced their independent thinking. However, despite acknowledging improved study efficiency, many felt their actual academic performance remained largely unchanged and expressed concerns about the accuracy and domain-specific reliability of generative AI. Our findings provide a first-hand insight into the current benefits and challenges generative AI brings to students, particularly Chinese engineering students, while offering several recommendations, especially from the students' perspective, for effectively integrating generative AI into engineering education.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2505_09208
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Educational impacts of generative artificial intelligence on learning and performance of engineering students in China
Fan, Lei
Deng, Kunyang
Liu, Fangxue
Human-Computer Interaction
Artificial Intelligence
With the rapid advancement of generative artificial intelligence(AI), its potential applications in higher education have attracted significant attention. This study investigated how 148 students from diverse engineering disciplines and regions across China used generative AI, focusing on its impact on their learning experience and the opportunities and challenges it poses in engineering education. Based on the surveyed data, we explored four key areas: the frequency and application scenarios of AI use among engineering students, its impact on students' learning and performance, commonly encountered challenges in using generative AI, and future prospects for its adoption in engineering education. The results showed that more than half of the participants reported a positive impact of generative AI on their learning efficiency, initiative, and creativity, with nearly half believing it also enhanced their independent thinking. However, despite acknowledging improved study efficiency, many felt their actual academic performance remained largely unchanged and expressed concerns about the accuracy and domain-specific reliability of generative AI. Our findings provide a first-hand insight into the current benefits and challenges generative AI brings to students, particularly Chinese engineering students, while offering several recommendations, especially from the students' perspective, for effectively integrating generative AI into engineering education.
title Educational impacts of generative artificial intelligence on learning and performance of engineering students in China
topic Human-Computer Interaction
Artificial Intelligence
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2505.09208