At the Lassonde School of Engineering’s Educational Innovation Studio, there is an enthusiasm for the transformative potential of artificial intelligence (AI) in education. Led by director Salvatore Paneduro, the studio collaborates with faculty across York University and with partners throughout the educational ecosystem to explore how AI can redefine learning.
"The integration of artificial intelligence in education is reshaping the landscape of learning and teaching at the Lassonde School of Engineering and across the education eco-system," says Paneduro. “Partnering with faculty at both the Keele and Markham campuses who are adopting innovative approaches to bring AI into their curricula, develop new programs, and elevate both teaching methods and student learning experiences is an exciting time to reimagine education today.”
With its strong foundations in machine learning and AI, Lassonde is uniquely positioned to explore AI’s educational potential, driving forward innovations that shape the future of learning.
Professor Alidad Amirfazli, at York’s Keele Campus, has been integrating AI into his mechanical engineering classes to transform traditional approaches to problem-solving and provide responses to student questions. In a newly developed course about mechanical design, Amirfazli has teamed up with industry experts such as Mehdi Ataei, a senior research scientist at software company Autodesk, to teach students about the application of AI in that field. As part of the course, students wrote AI scripts to analyze and ideate improvements for bicycle frames in terms of their stiffness, durability and weight efficiency. For a task that would have previously required weeks of gathering data, consulting sources and conceptualizing ideas, students were now able to develop and use AI tools to streamline these steps into hours.
By leveraging AI-powered generative design tools, Amirfazli’s students can explore multiple design solutions quickly, making their process both more efficient and more informed. At the same time, the professor urges students to exercise caution when relying on AI, noting that nonsensical designs can arise without careful oversight.
“You have to be aware and not use whatever comes at you,” Amirfazli advises. “AI can be very innovative, but it’s crucial to apply judgment and understand the tool’s limitations.”
At the Markham Campus, Professor Kai Zhuang brings a creative approach to teaching, often starting class with a piano performance to remind students not to lose their individuality in the pursuit of technical skills.
“Engineering is there to use technology to serve humanity,” he says, emphasizing that students should be well-rounded thinkers, not just focused on math and science.
To address the challenge of grading students’ written reflections in large classes, Zhuang has collaborated with Professor Soroush Sabbaghan from the University of Calgary to create an AI-driven reflection tool. Instead of traditional written reflections, students engage in a conversation with AI, receiving prompt questions and feedback, then submit a screen capture of this interaction. Zhuang hopes this approach can encourage deeper reflection while reducing the burden on the professors.
“We know reflections are useful, but in large classes, it’s hard to provide quality feedback,” he says.
For Zhuang, integrating AI isn’t just about streamlining tasks – it’s about helping students see beyond conventional engineering education and fostering creativity as they develop as both professionals and people.
Tanveer Bhimani, an instructional and learning designer at the Lassonde Educational Innovation Studio, is collaborating with Paneduro to develop an educational framework that integrates AI into key areas, including research, curriculum design, creativity and innovation, communication and collaboration, ethical and social responsibility, accessibility, learning analytics, and assessment and feedback. This framework aims to provide a cohesive structure for leveraging AI in ways that enhance both teaching and learning, and guides partnerships with faculty members across the school on specific AI-focused projects.
Bhimani is particularly interested in how AI can transform assessment and feedback. Reflection assignments encourage students to critically evaluate their experiences and work, but the time-intensive nature of grading often limits the quality and frequency of feedback students receive. To address this, Bhimani and her team have been exploring AI tools specifically designed to evaluate reflections, providing personalized, high-quality feedback that faculty members can use to better support student growth.
This exploration into AI-driven assessment and feedback aligns with the Lassonde Educational Innovation Studio’s goals: to equip faculty with tools that improve efficiency while enhancing the educational experience.
"AI has shown a lot of promise in providing individualized feedback, particularly in areas that are time-intensive for faculty," Bhimani notes.
By working directly with faculty, her team ensures that these innovations fit the specific needs of Lassonde’s programs, while also supporting student development and preparing them to work effectively in AI-driven environments.
“As we experiment with innovative applications of AI in teaching and learning, our work offers a preview of what AI-integrated education might look like,” says Paneduro.
Through personalized learning, more efficient assessment practices and an emphasis on creative problem-solving, Lassonde is setting a benchmark for education that prepares students for tomorrow. Faculty and students alike are developing a nuanced understanding of AI, positioning Lassonde and York University as leaders in AI-driven educational transformation. In this environment, students gain not only technical expertise but also the adaptive, creative mindset needed to navigate a world where technology and human potential intersect in unprecedented ways.
With files from Julie Carl