Curriculum Workshops As A Method Of Interdisciplinary Curriculum Development: A Case Study For Artificial Intelligence In Engineering

The integration of tools and methods of Artificial Intelligence (AI) into the engineering domain has become increasingly important, and with it comes a shift in required competencies. As a result, engineering education should now incorporate AI competencies into its courses and curricula. While interdisciplinary education at a subject level has already been explored, the development of interdisciplinary curricula often presents a challenge. This paper investigates the use of the curriculum workshop method for developing interdisciplinary, competence-oriented curricula. Using a case study of a newly developed interdisciplinary Bachelor program for AI in Engineering, the study evaluates the instrument of the curriculum workshop. The communicative methods of the tool and various aspects of its implementation through self-evaluation procedures and surveys of workshop participants are discussed. The results show that the structure and competence orientation of the method facilitate alignment among participants from different disciplinary backgrounds. However, it is also important to consolidate the mutually developed broad ideas for the curriculum design into concrete outcomes, such as a competence profile. Interdisciplinary curriculum development needs to take into account different perspectives and demands towards the curriculum which increases complexity and requires a more structured design process. The findings of the paper highlight the importance of interdisciplinary curriculum design in engineering education and provide practical insights in the application of tools for the creation of competence-oriented curricula in curriculum workshops, thereby contributing to the development of future engineers.