Progress 09/01/24 to 08/31/25

Outputs
Target Audience:During this reporting period, we engaged with 45 industry professionals across various sectors of the food and hospitality industry. These participants were invited to complete a targeted survey designed to assess their current familiarity with artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics technologies. The survey also aimed to identify perceived gaps in knowledge, training needs, and practical applications of these technologies in their respective workplaces. The professionals reached represent a diverse range of roles and organizational levels, offering valuable insights into the industry's current stage of technological readiness and future educational priorities. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?During the reporting period, the project provided several foundational opportunities for training and professional development: Faculty Orientation and Planning Sessions: Faculty at Kansas State University engaged in initial planning meetings focused on aligning course outcomes with Bloom's taxonomy and identifying strategies to integrate AI and robotics into existing curricula. These sessions supported pedagogical development around emerging technologies in food studies education. Hands-on Training with Service Robots: Participating faculty and support staff received introductory training on the operation and instructional use of the newly installed service robot. This training helped build technical confidence and instructional readiness for incorporating robotics into classroom activities. Curriculum Co-Development Workshops: Faculty collaborators participated in working sessions to co-develop learner-centered educational activities and video-based instructional materials, fostering peer-to-peer learning and content innovation. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?During the first year of the project, preliminary results and activities were shared with relevant stakeholders and communities of interest through the following channels: Industry Engagement: Findings from the stakeholder needs assessment were shared in follow-up communications with participating industry professionals, helping to validate insights and maintain engagement for future collaboration. Academic Networking: Project progress, including curriculum development updates and the integration of robotics in classrooms, was shared in internal departmental meetings and cross-institutional planning sessions to inform faculty and instructional designers. Conference Presentations (Planned): The team has begun preparing abstracts and presentation materials for dissemination at upcoming regional and national conferences focused on food studies, hospitality education, and workforce development. Educational Community Awareness: Preliminary project highlights were discussed with food studies educators and Extension professionals to increase awareness of the curriculum innovation and invite future contributions to the open-access resource repository. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Plans for the Next Reporting Period: To advance the project objectives, the following activities are planned for the next reporting period: Finalize and Administer Student Surveys: Launch the baseline student survey at both participating institutions to assess knowledge, perceptions, and learning needs related to AI and robotics in the food industry. Implement Instructional Materials in Target Courses: Pilot the newly developed AI/robotics modules and experiential activities in at least three food studies courses across the two institutions. Facilitate student engagement with the installed service robot through hands-on learning experiences. Collect and Analyze Pilot Data: Gather student feedback and learning outcome data to assess the effectiveness of instructional interventions. Begin iterative refinement of curriculum materials based on pilot results. Expand Faculty Training and Peer Collaboration: Offer additional training sessions and peer workshops for faculty to enhance instructional delivery and share best practices. Continue aligning teaching strategies with Bloom's taxonomy and active learning principles. Advance Content for Online Resource Repository: Begin organizing and formatting instructional content, videos, and supporting materials for inclusion in the open-access online repository. Identify and incorporate feedback from early adopters to guide resource usability. Engage in Broader Dissemination: Submit abstracts to present project findings at relevant academic and industry conferences. Continue sharing updates with industry partners and education networks to build awareness and interest.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? First-Year Accomplishments (Aligned with Project Objectives): Objective 1: Stakeholder Needs Assessment and AI/Robotics Landscape Analysis Conducted a baseline stakeholder needs assessment involving 45 industry professionals, collecting insights into current familiarity, perceived knowledge gaps, and desired applications of AI and robotics in the food industry. Designed and prepared a baseline student survey to capture learner perspectives on AI and robotics knowledge, interests, and expectations. Initiated a review of AI and robotics applications across the food supply chain to inform curriculum development. Objective 2: Curriculum Development with Active Learning Focus Developed preliminary active learning-based instructional modules for integration into food studies courses, incorporating experiential, learner-centered activities. Began production of real-world video content highlighting practical AI and robotics use cases in the food industry to support student engagement and application. Objective 3: Instructional Implementation Preparation Installed a service robot at Kansas State University to support experiential learning opportunities in classroom environments. Identified target food studies courses at both institutions for pilot implementation and evaluation in the second year. Objective 4: Faculty Capacity Building and Material Development Engaged participating faculty in planning discussions to align learning outcomes with Bloom's taxonomy, emphasizing cognitive development in AI-related content delivery. Developed initial training and orientation materials for faculty to enhance instructional readiness for teaching AI and robotics content. Progress Toward Deliverables: Laid the groundwork for enhanced food studies curricula incorporating AI and robotics. Facilitated initial hands-on exposure to robotics through service robot installation. Began building a foundation for a shared repository of educational materials and experiential learning resources for future public dissemination.

Publications