Applying Generative AI Tools in Industrial Control Education: A Project-Based Study on Teamwork, Learning Outcomes, and Student Satisfaction

Badrosadat Nategholeslam Shirazi¹   Ali Akbar Safavi²   Ali Eskandari³   Ali Jahanseir⁴   Amirreza Teimouri Sendesi⁵   Elahe Hasani⁶   Elahesadat Safishahi⁷   Elnaz Ardeshiri⁸   Farhad Zamani⁹   Fazelehsadat Taghavi¹⁰   Hoda Bagheri¹¹   Leyla Taghavi Bahreghani¹²   Mohammad Alipour Heydari¹³   Parsa Shariatzadeh¹⁴   Pooya Chahabdar¹⁵   Zahra Heydari¹⁶  

1- Shiraz University 2- Shiraz University 3- Shiraz University 4- Shiraz University 5- Shiraz University 6- Shiraz University 7- Shiraz University 8- Shiraz University 9- Shiraz University 10- Shiraz University 11- Shiraz University 12- Shiraz University 13- Shiraz University 14- Shiraz University 15- Shiraz University 16- Shiraz University

Engineering education

This paper investigates the use of generative artificial intelligence tools—ChatGPT, Gemini, Grok, and Qwen—in a hands-on learning activity within an undergraduate Industrial Control course. In this study, 24 students organized into six teams were tasked with using one of these tools to select a real-world industrial control problem and collaboratively carry out system modeling, controller design, and simulation. Research data were collected from the teams’ written reports and analyzed using a mixed-method approach combining content analysis and quantitative evaluation. The findings indicate that guided use of generative AI tools enhanced students’ conceptual understanding of control topics, improved role clarity within teams, strengthened coordination among team members, and resulted in high levels of student satisfaction. The tools were particularly effective in supporting problem formulation, task structuring, and generating initial technical suggestions. At the same time, engineering decision-making, final parameter tuning, and validation of results were entirely performed by the students. These results suggest that the purposeful integration of generative AI into industrial control education can serve as an effective supportive mechanism for improving both learning outcomes and teamwork.