Ecampus Research Fellows

A recent surge of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) has generated much discussion in academia, yet our understanding of how student learning will be most impacted through the incorporation of AI is unknown. We will leverage the Ecampus BA260 Foundations of the Entrepreneurial Mindset course. In this experiential learning course, AI can assist students with identifying new market opportunities, untapped customer needs, and innovative business models. What remains unknown is whether students relying on AI to complete such assignments develop and gain higher confidence in their abilities than students who completed the course without assistance from AI. We will compare student outcomes in the control group, students taking BA260 in Winter 2025 where AI usage is not allowed (the current version of the course), with students in BA260 in Spring 2025 where students will be allowed to use AI to complete the same, as in control sections, assignments (to-be-developed for Spring 2025). We will measure the outcomes with student surveys that compare how students’ entrepreneurial and creative self-efficacy have changed between weeks 1 and 11 of course and how such changes differ between the control and the “treated” group. We will also learn if and how the student attitude toward AI affects their learning outcomes and if using AI in the Ecampus course changes their attitude toward AI. The results of our study will advance our understanding of the impact of AI on entrepreneurship education and have practical implications for educators, practitioners, and Ecampus professionals.

This proposal will seek to reduce the differential in learning experiences that remote students are expected to face due to a lack of experiential learning opportunities that are present for in-person students. Experiences such as site visits are instrumental to enabling students to understand the application of the theory that they learn in class. This is especially true for construction engineering management students, who are expected to apply classroom concepts mostly on vast construction sites. Towards this end, this project will implement virtual reality site visits for students in remote settings to enable them to immerse themselves in construction environments despite being physically remote. The research will then collect data relating to their learning outcomes and engagement with course content and compare the results with other students who visited a real-world site for the in-person version of the same course. The findings can illuminate benefits and challenges relating to the use of virtual reality site visits for remote education by providing a direct comparison with their real-world status-quo counterparts. This can help with the increased adoption of online education by providing alternate means of experiential learning.

The increased autonomy in asynchronous online courses presents unique challenges for students, resulting in low student retention and success, especially in STEM disciplines. Research on achievement motivation suggests that goal-setting practices can improve student success. The impact of goal-setting on student retention and success is less well-known in STEM courses, particularly those offered asynchronously online. Our proposed study will investigate the impact of goal-setting interventions based on Achievement Goal Theory (AGT) on student retention and success in a large asynchronous online biology course, BI 204, at Oregon State University (OSU). Students will be randomly assigned to either an intervention group, which participates in a goal-setting survey designed to enhance self-regulated learning (SRL), or a control group that completes a placebo survey. Course completion rates, DFW (Drop, Fail, Withdrawal) rates, and exam scores will be assessed alongside quantitative and qualitative data from a validated SRL questionnaire. We hypothesize that students engaged in goal-setting exercises will demonstrate greater self-regulated learning, retention, and improved academic performance compared to their peers. This study seeks to provide valuable insights into the relationship between goal-setting and educational success, aiming to empower students to take control of their learning journeys in asynchronous online settings. Ultimately, the findings will support OSU’s Prosperity Widely Shared commitment to improving student outcomes and broaden evidence-based practices in online STEM education.