Active Learning With Artificial Intelligence in Engineering

This paper presents an educational tool designed to support active learning in engineering education by guiding and promoting the ethical use of artificial intelligence. The proposal targets undergraduate engineering students and is grounded in a real classroom context structured through university extension activities and project-based learning. The tool integrates artificial intelligence as a pedagogical support mechanism, assisting students in organizing technical reasoning, structuring disciplinary content, and communicating results, while preserving the central role of critical thinking and instructor mediation. The instructional design includes clearly defined learning activities, intended learning outcomes, assessment criteria, and ethical guidelines for the responsible use of artificial intelligence, to facilitate adoption and adaptation by other educators. Intended learning outcomes encompass the ability to analyze engineering concepts, synthesize technical information from diverse sources, and communicate effectively through written and audiovisual artifacts. The paper describes the instructional structure, activity sequence, and supporting materials required for implementation, thereby promoting straightforward replication in similar educational contexts. Classroom observations indicate increased student engagement, improved organization of technical content, and more reflective use of digital tools when artificial intelligence is explicitly framed as a learning support rather than as an autonomous content generator. The contribution emphasizes the practical, replicable nature of the proposed tool and invites the engineering education community to adapt, apply, and further evaluate the approach across diverse instructional settings.