The IEEE EDUCON is an IEEE Education Society flagship conference in the field of engineering education. This year the conference was held at Queen Mary University of London, where Lukas Lehner presented a paper he co-authored with Michael Lenke (Constructing Explainability Sonderforschungsbereich, Paderborn University) and our own Martina Landman.
Their work, “I’m actually more interested in AI than in computer science” – 12-year-olds describing their first encounter with AI, investigates 6th grade students’ first experiences with AI-systems using an autobiographical research method. Students were asked to describe their first encounter “with an AI”. Their biographies were analysed using a novel application of the SEAME framework and juxtaposed with students’ self-reported interest in computer science as a whole.
Results showed that only students with a high level of interest in computer science talked about their AI encounter at the most technical level (‘engine’ level of the SEAME framework). Reports on the use of various AI-based tools, as well as critical reflection about this use could be found throughout all levels of interest. Additionally, students’ reports showed how they interact with AI-based technologies without even being aware of it, as well as how early these interactions take place: students reported using large language models to do their homework for them as early as primary school.
EDUCON 2025 provided an exciting opportunity to present our novel methods and findings to a diverse field of engineering education experts: While GenAI in education was a predominant topic (and theme of the conference), the participation of researchers from various fields of engineering education (besides computer science) allowed for a rich discussion on how these new tools can, should and will impact our teaching and students’ learning. A big thanks to the organizers and all fellow educoners.
Read more about our paper here: [link will be added a soon as the conference proceedings are published].
