Stephen MacNeil’s AI Copilot Project Earns CST Boost Funds
November 25, 2024
Temple University's College of Science and Technology announced that Stephen MacNeil was selected as one of the inaugural recipients of its Boost Funds for New Research Directions, a seed funding program designed to help faculty launch promising new research directions and gather preliminary evidence for future grant proposals.
MacNeil's funded project, Pedagogical Tools to Teach Students to Use AI Copilots, explores how students can learn to engage with AI systems more critically rather than accepting suggestions passively. The work builds on his broader research in human-computer interaction, computing education, and human-AI collaboration, while opening a new line of inquiry into how AI tools can be designed to promote reflection, judgment, and long-term learning.
The award supports a two-year research effort focused on early-stage analyses, proof-of-concept work, and the collection of preliminary data. According to the CST announcement, the project will directly involve both undergraduate and graduate students in the Temple HCI Lab, creating new opportunities for students to participate in research on AI, education, and interaction design.
This recognition also reflects the growing visibility of MacNeil's work at the intersection of artificial intelligence, human-computer interaction, and computing education. By focusing on how students use AI copilots in real learning contexts, the project aims to help shape more thoughtful approaches to AI adoption in the classroom.