Five teaching-based research projects receive Miller grants

September 01, 2025

Five faculty projects received funds in the university's Miller Faculty Fellowship program for the 2025-26 academic year. These innovative teaching-based research projects, which will impact student-centric instruction, are supported with a total of $213,971 in grants. The Center for Excellence in Learning and Teaching's Advisory Board reviewed all submissions and made funding recommendations to senior vice president and provost Jason Keith.

Since 1996 and including this year, Iowa State has supported 246 Miller Fellowship projects with nearly $4.8 million in grants.

Below are the abstracts of the funded fellowship projects.

Conceptual chemistry learning through Gamified Online Homework

Principal investigators: Thomas Holme and Morgan Clark*, chemistry
Award: $14,118

Undergraduate chemistry courses typically have large enrollments and assign online homework as a means for students to reinforce their lecture knowledge. To create a more enjoyable learning experience, education researchers have gamified online homework and other features of the chemistry classroom. Some of this research has yielded positive outcomes, but many studies report inconclusive results or lack evidence for gamification as a feasible learning tool.

Holme and Clark previously developed a gamified online homework system, called ISLAND-C, to enhance students' conceptual problem-solving skills in undergraduate general chemistry. This study will assess chemistry concept mastery in a gamified environment by utilizing eye tracking and student interviews. Information gained from this study also will allow researchers to develop a better system for nationwide student use. This proposal increases study participation to achieve these goals.

A cross-course, AI-enriched collaboration: Embedding four high-impact practices for students' future readiness

Principal investigators: Ling Zhang and Ann Marie Fiore, apparel, events and hospitality management
Award: $50,000

This project enhances the Fashion Design and Merchandising program by developing and integrating AI-application modules in a collaboration between a sophomore-level merchandising core course and a senior-level design capstone course. Design course "clients" and merchandising course "branding firm representatives" will collaborate, leveraging various AI tools, to create a design collection and a brand image (e.g., logo, store design). In this client-based collaboration, students gain industry skills in design, branding and customer analysis through communication-intensive learning, culminating in a showcase that exemplifies the capstone experience. Outcomes include dissemination of peer-reviewed AI pedagogy scholarship.

This curriculum positions ISU as a leader in fashion education because of its cross-course collaborative, entrepreneurial and AI-assisted emphases, and broadens career readiness. The curriculum contributes to ISU's strategic priority of providing an exceptional education through high impact practices and student success initiatives including:

Communication-intensive, cross-functional teamwork.
Innovation and entrepreneurship.
Capstone experience.
Peer leadership capturing industry dynamics.

Transforming economics examinations: A token-based system for enhanced learning and student success

Principal investigators: Amani Elobeid and Beomyun Kim*, economics; collaborating faculty: Angelos Lagoudakis, economics
Award: $49,852

This project introduces a token-based exam support system designed to transform traditional assessment practices in higher education. Students receive three types of colored tokens that can be exchanged during exams for different levels of standardized hints, ranging from basic concept reminders to detailed guidance or time extensions varying from five to 15 minutes. This approach addresses multiple challenges in higher education by:

Enhancing student control to reduce test anxiety.
Offering flexible support options to accommodate diverse learning needs.
Promoting strategic decision-making to enhance student learning and performance.

The system is particularly beneficial in quantitative courses where mathematical anxiety and varying learning speeds often impact performance. Unlike traditional standardized accommodations, this approach enables students to customize their support based on individual needs while maintaining academic rigor. Although initially implemented in economics courses, the system's design allows for seamless adaptation across STEM disciplines and any field requiring quantitative problem-solving skills.

Teaching AI with AI: Next-generation assessment framework for computer science education

Principal investigator: Aditya Balu, Translational AI Center (TrAC); collaborating faculty: Zhanhong Jiang, TrAC; Ben Van Dusen, School of Education
Award: $50,000

This team proposed a pedagogical framework that leverages AI to transform how artificial intelligence itself is taught. Teaching computer science courses (as exemplified by TrAC's course on Machine Learning Operations), presents a unique challenge: teaching AI concepts in an era where AI tools are readily available to students. Rather than vehemently resisting or ignoring this change, this project embraces AI through a three-fold approach:

Developing AI-integrated adaptive assessments that incorporate AI tools into learning.
Implementing guided AI assistance that cultivates independent problem-solving skills while acknowledging AI's role in modern development.
Creating AI-based evaluation systems that provide scalable, consistent feedback.

This framework will ensure students develop both technical proficiency and critical thinking abilities essential for the AI era. To demonstrate this framework's effectiveness, it will be piloted in TrAC's micro-credential courses, providing a model for broader computer science education.

Advancing construction education through immersive equipment simulation and hands-on operations

Principal investigators: Roy Sturgill and Jennifer Shane, civil, construction and environmental engineering
Award: $50,000

The use of equipment simulators and virtual reality has proven effective in enhancing student engagement and understanding within construction engineering curriculum. In replicating real-world scenarios, students bridge the gap between classroom theory and practical application. The impact improves:

Understanding of site and equipment safety.
Equipment and operations performance metrics.
Overall project management.

The ability to develop these practical skills in a controlled, risk-free environment also allows students to develop confidence and knowledge of construction equipment. These teaching methods reach a broad spectrum of learning preferences and meet the needs of varying levels of prior knowledge. This project provides the construction engineering program with the ability to bring exceptional learning opportunities to students and unique partnering opportunities with industry.