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Circuit Analysis with AI

A case study on using AI tools to analyze and design electrical circuits

Last updated: 2025-04-03

AI-Enhanced Circuit Analysis Feedback

Taxonomy Dimensions

  • Primary Purpose: Skill Development, Process Augmentation
  • Integration Depth: Embedded Practice
  • Student Agency: Guided Exploration
  • Assessment Alignment: Critical Evaluation, Comparative Analysis
  • Technical Implementation: Tool Selection, Error Management
  • Ethics & Professional Development: Professional Norms, Critical AI Literacy

Course Context

Sophomore-level circuit analysis course where students struggle with conceptual understanding of complex circuits, debugging their own work, and developing intuition for circuit behavior.

Implementation Description

Activity Overview

Students use AI tools to obtain formative feedback on their circuit analyses, helping them identify errors, explore alternative solution approaches, and develop greater self-assessment capabilities.

Step-by-Step Implementation

  1. Preparation Phase:

    • Instructor creates guidelines for documenting circuit analysis steps
    • Students learn how to structure circuit problems for AI feedback
    • Introduction to verification techniques for AI-suggested solutions

  2. Guided Analysis Practice (Weeks 1-3):

    • Students solve assigned circuit problems using traditional methods
    • Submit their work-in-progress to AI for formative feedback
    • Identify and correct errors based on AI suggestions
    • Document learning insights from the feedback process

  3. Solution Comparison (Weeks 4-6):

    • Students generate multiple solution approaches for the same circuit
    • Use AI to explain trade-offs between different methods
    • Analyze efficiency and insights provided by different approaches
    • Develop comparative rubrics for solution evaluation

  4. Error Pattern Recognition (Weeks 7-9):

    • Students analyze patterns in their own recurring mistakes
    • Use AI to explain underlying misconceptions
    • Create personalized study guides addressing specific weaknesses
    • Develop error-checking protocols for future circuit analysis

  5. Self-Assessment Development (Weeks 10-12):

    • Students predict AI feedback before requesting it
    • Compare their self-assessment with AI feedback
    • Gradually reduce dependence on AI verification
    • Develop personal checklists for independent circuit analysis

Example Prompts

Error Identification Prompt

I've attempted to solve this RLC circuit problem. Please review my solution process and:
1. Identify any errors in my calculations or approach
2. Explain the conceptual misunderstanding behind each error
3. Suggest how to correct the approach
4. Provide a verification method I can use to check my corrected solution

My solution:
[Student inserts their work here, including equations, diagrams, and steps]

Please be specific about where errors occur and provide explanations that will help me understand the underlying concepts better, not just fix this specific problem.

Multiple Approach Analysis Prompt

I've solved this circuit using nodal analysis. Please:
1. Verify if my solution is correct
2. Show how this same circuit could be solved using mesh current analysis
3. Show a third approach using source transformation
4. Compare the efficiency and insights provided by each method
5. Explain which approach would be most appropriate if the circuit were modified to include [specific modification]

My nodal analysis solution:
[Student inserts their work here]

In your comparison, highlight which approach:
- Requires fewer equations
- Provides better insight into circuit behavior
- Is more generalizable to other circuit types
- Would be preferred in professional practice

Conceptual Understanding Prompt

In analyzing this circuit with capacitive and inductive elements, I'm struggling with understanding the phase relationships.

1. Explain the energy storage and release process in this circuit in time domain
2. Provide an intuitive explanation of phase relationships between voltage and current
3. Show how to recognize phase shift patterns from circuit structure
4. Relate these concepts to power factor and apparent/real power
5. Create an analogy that would help visualize these relationships

Please relate your explanation specifically to the circuit components shown in my diagram:
[Student inserts circuit diagram]

Assessment Strategies

  1. Process Portfolio (35%):

    • Students document their circuit analysis process
    • Include initial attempts, AI feedback received, and corrections made
    • Reflect on patterns in their learning and error correction
    • Demonstrate growing independence from AI assistance over time

  2. Comparative Analysis Assignment (25%):

    • Students analyze a complex circuit using multiple methods
    • Evaluate the efficiency and insights from each approach
    • Justify which approach is optimal for different circuit variations
    • Compare with AI-suggested approaches and evaluate differences

  3. Peer Review Activity (20%):

    • Students review peers' circuit analyses
    • Provide feedback comparable to what AI would offer
    • Compare their feedback with AI-generated feedback
    • Reflect on differences between human and AI evaluation

  4. Traditional Exam Component (20%):

    • Closed-book, no-AI examination with circuit analysis problems
    • Focus on concepts and techniques practiced with AI assistance
    • Include self-assessment component where students evaluate their own confidence

Implementation Considerations

Required Resources

  • Access to ChatGPT, Claude, or similar LLM with circuit analysis capabilities
  • Circuit diagramming tools compatible with AI input (or image upload capability)
  • Guidelines for structuring circuit problems for effective AI feedback
  • Learning management system for documentation and feedback history

Common Challenges

  • Verifying the accuracy of AI-generated circuit analyses
  • Students may become dependent on AI verification
  • Varying levels of detail in student solution documentation
  • Ensuring students understand conceptual explanations, not just corrections

Integration Tips

  • Begin with simple circuits where AI feedback can be easily verified
  • Gradually increase complexity and reduce guidance
  • Incorporate regular reflection on the AI feedback process
  • Pair AI feedback with traditional office hours and peer discussion
  • Focus assessment on learning process rather than final answers

Faculty Experience Required

  • Understanding of common student misconceptions in circuit analysis
  • Ability to evaluate appropriateness of AI-suggested solution methods
  • Familiarity with prompting for technical content verification
  • Regular review of AI tools' capabilities and limitations for circuit problems

This example was developed as part of the "Strategies for Integrating Generative AI in Engineering Education" workshop materials.