Teaching

The Temple Mechatronics Lab supports teaching across the mechanical engineering curriculum with a focus on practical design and experimentation. The lab contributes to MEE 1117 Introduction to Mechanical Engineering Design, where students build CAD and 3D modeling skills as a foundation for modern product development. It also plays a central role in MEE 2305 Instrumentation and Data Acquisition Lab, where students program and experiment on a crank slider setup and are introduced to core mechatronics concepts. At the upper level, the lab leads the Mechatronics Design track of MEE4177. In this course, student teams design and prototype a complete electromechanical waste sorting system aligned with the ASME Student Design Competition, gaining system level design experience and learning to make engineering decisions under real performance constraints.

 

The Mechatronics Lab fosters active learning and classroom innovation by integrating hands on learning kits, open ended design challenges, and many opportunities for student creativity. A key mission of the lab is to use artificial intelligence to deepen, not replace, student thinking. Teaching activities include AI supported evaluation of open ended projects and exploring how generative AI can foster interdisciplinary research on complex, open ended problems among undergraduates. Through this, students practice explaining and justifying their design choices to AI systems and to each other, which strengthens their critical thinking. In short, we use AI as a tool to teach critical thinking, helping students reflect more clearly, reason more carefully, and connect their engineering work to real world impact.

Teaching News

 

Teaching Publications

Artificial Intelligence in Engineering Education

  • [Accepted] Using an AI Chatbot to Support Critical Thinking in Undergraduate Coursework: Evidence from a Student Survey
    First-Year Engineering Experience (FYEE) Conference, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, NJ, 2026.
  • [Accepted] TT&T: AI in Teaching: Evaluating Open-Ended Projects Using an AI Chatbot Quiz
    Sayginer, O. 
    ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Charlotte, NC, 2026. (Under Review)
  • How Can GenAI Foster Interdisciplinary Research on Open-Ended Problems Among Undergraduates?
    Sayginer, O.
    Lightning Talk, 23rd Annual Faculty Conference on Teaching Excellence, Temple University, 2025.
  • GIFTS: Automated Quiz Generation Using Generative AI and QTI for Teaching Content Management Systems
    Sayginer, O., & Budischak, C.
    ASEE First-Year Engineering Experience (FYEE) Conference, 2025.

Hands-On Learning, Active Learning & Educational Technology

  • [Accepted] WIP: A Cost-Effective Hands-On Learning Kit for Enhancing Engagement and Design Skills
    Sayginer, O., Pillapakkam, A., & Riggio, L.
    ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Charlotte, NC, 2026. (Accepted)
  • Classroom Kit for Hands-On Engineering and Multidisciplinary Integration: Assessing Student Engagement and Learning Contribution
    Sayginer, O., & Kim, D.
    Teaching Innovation Exhibition Poster, 24th Annual Faculty Conference on Teaching Excellence, Temple University, 2026.
  • GIFTS: Bridging Engineering Education with a Cost-Effective Classroom Kit: A Hands-On Approach to Active Learning
    Sayginer, O., Budischak, C., & Riggio, L.
    ASEE First-Year Engineering Experience (FYEE) Conference, 2025.

Research Themes

    • Generative AI in Engineering Education
    • AI-Supported Critical Thinking
    • Assessment of Open-Ended Design Projects
    • Hands-On Learning and Classroom Innovation
    • Educational Technology Development
    • Community-Engaged Engineering Education
    • Interdisciplinary Learning and Problem Solving

Featured Projects

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