View in EDS

Effects of a Prompt Engineering Intervention on Undergraduate Students' AI Self-Efficacy, AI Knowledge and Prompt Engineering Ability: A Mixed Methods Study

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Title: Effects of a Prompt Engineering Intervention on Undergraduate Students' AI Self-Efficacy, AI Knowledge and Prompt Engineering Ability: A Mixed Methods Study
Language: English
Authors: David James Woo (ORCID 0000-0003-4417-3686), Deliang Wang (ORCID 0009-0008-6488-0234), Tim Yung, Kai Guo
Source: British Educational Research Journal. 2026 52(2):1442-1469.
Availability: Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www.wiley.com/en-us
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 28
Publication Date: 2026
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education
Postsecondary Education
Descriptors: Undergraduate Students, Engineering Education, Artificial Intelligence, Technology Uses in Education, Prompting, Digital Literacy, Self Efficacy, Natural Language Processing, Workshops, Foreign Countries, Skill Development
Geographic Terms: Hong Kong
DOI: 10.1002/berj.70087
ISSN: 0141-1926
1469-3518
Abstract: Prompt engineering is critical for effective interaction with large language models (LLMs) such as ChatGPT. However, efforts to teach this skill to students have been limited. This study designed and implemented a prompt engineering intervention, examining its influence on undergraduate students' AI self-efficacy, AI knowledge and proficiency in creating effective prompts. The intervention involved 27 students who participated in a 100-min workshop conducted during their history course at a university in Hong Kong. During the workshop, students were introduced to prompt engineering strategies, which they applied to plan the course's final essay task. Multiple data sources were collected, including students' responses to pre- and post-workshop questionnaires, pre- and post-workshop prompt libraries, and written reflections. The study's findings revealed that students demonstrated a higher level of AI self-efficacy and an enhanced understanding of AI concepts and suggested improvements to prompt engineering skills because of the intervention. While a greater sample size would be required for a more thorough understanding of prompt engineering intervention, these findings nevertheless have implications for AI literacy education as they highlight the potential importance of prompt engineering training for specific higher education use cases. This is a significant shift from students haphazardly and intuitively learning to engineer prompts. Through prompt engineering education, educators can facilitate students' effective navigation and leverage of LLMs to support their coursework.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: EJ1502609
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
  Availability: 0
Header DbId: eric
DbLabel: ERIC
An: EJ1502609
AccessLevel: 3
PubType: Academic Journal
PubTypeId: academicJournal
PreciseRelevancyScore: 0
IllustrationInfo
Items – Name: Title
  Label: Title
  Group: Ti
  Data: Effects of a Prompt Engineering Intervention on Undergraduate Students' AI Self-Efficacy, AI Knowledge and Prompt Engineering Ability: A Mixed Methods Study
– Name: Language
  Label: Language
  Group: Lang
  Data: English
– Name: Author
  Label: Authors
  Group: Au
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22David+James+Woo%22">David James Woo</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4417-3686">0000-0003-4417-3686</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Deliang+Wang%22">Deliang Wang</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0009-0008-6488-0234">0009-0008-6488-0234</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Tim+Yung%22">Tim Yung</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Kai+Guo%22">Kai Guo</searchLink>
– Name: TitleSource
  Label: Source
  Group: Src
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22British+Educational+Research+Journal%22"><i>British Educational Research Journal</i></searchLink>. 2026 52(2):1442-1469.
– Name: Avail
  Label: Availability
  Group: Avail
  Data: Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www.wiley.com/en-us
– Name: PeerReviewed
  Label: Peer Reviewed
  Group: SrcInfo
  Data: Y
– Name: Pages
  Label: Page Count
  Group: Src
  Data: 28
– Name: DatePubCY
  Label: Publication Date
  Group: Date
  Data: 2026
– Name: TypeDocument
  Label: Document Type
  Group: TypDoc
  Data: Journal Articles<br />Reports - Research
– Name: Audience
  Label: Education Level
  Group: Audnce
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Higher+Education%22">Higher Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Postsecondary+Education%22">Postsecondary Education</searchLink>
– Name: Subject
  Label: Descriptors
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Undergraduate+Students%22">Undergraduate Students</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Engineering+Education%22">Engineering Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Artificial+Intelligence%22">Artificial Intelligence</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Technology+Uses+in+Education%22">Technology Uses in Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Prompting%22">Prompting</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Digital+Literacy%22">Digital Literacy</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Self+Efficacy%22">Self Efficacy</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Natural+Language+Processing%22">Natural Language Processing</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Workshops%22">Workshops</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Foreign+Countries%22">Foreign Countries</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Skill+Development%22">Skill Development</searchLink>
– Name: Subject
  Label: Geographic Terms
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Hong+Kong%22">Hong Kong</searchLink>
– Name: DOI
  Label: DOI
  Group: ID
  Data: 10.1002/berj.70087
– Name: ISSN
  Label: ISSN
  Group: ISSN
  Data: 0141-1926<br />1469-3518
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: Prompt engineering is critical for effective interaction with large language models (LLMs) such as ChatGPT. However, efforts to teach this skill to students have been limited. This study designed and implemented a prompt engineering intervention, examining its influence on undergraduate students' AI self-efficacy, AI knowledge and proficiency in creating effective prompts. The intervention involved 27 students who participated in a 100-min workshop conducted during their history course at a university in Hong Kong. During the workshop, students were introduced to prompt engineering strategies, which they applied to plan the course's final essay task. Multiple data sources were collected, including students' responses to pre- and post-workshop questionnaires, pre- and post-workshop prompt libraries, and written reflections. The study's findings revealed that students demonstrated a higher level of AI self-efficacy and an enhanced understanding of AI concepts and suggested improvements to prompt engineering skills because of the intervention. While a greater sample size would be required for a more thorough understanding of prompt engineering intervention, these findings nevertheless have implications for AI literacy education as they highlight the potential importance of prompt engineering training for specific higher education use cases. This is a significant shift from students haphazardly and intuitively learning to engineer prompts. Through prompt engineering education, educators can facilitate students' effective navigation and leverage of LLMs to support their coursework.
– Name: AbstractInfo
  Label: Abstractor
  Group: Ab
  Data: As Provided
– Name: DateEntry
  Label: Entry Date
  Group: Date
  Data: 2026
– Name: AN
  Label: Accession Number
  Group: ID
  Data: EJ1502609
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=eric&AN=EJ1502609
RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Identifiers:
      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1002/berj.70087
    Languages:
      – Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 28
        StartPage: 1442
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Undergraduate Students
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Engineering Education
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Artificial Intelligence
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Technology Uses in Education
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Prompting
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Digital Literacy
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Self Efficacy
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Natural Language Processing
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Workshops
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Foreign Countries
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Skill Development
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Hong Kong
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Effects of a Prompt Engineering Intervention on Undergraduate Students' AI Self-Efficacy, AI Knowledge and Prompt Engineering Ability: A Mixed Methods Study
        Type: main
  BibRelationships:
    HasContributorRelationships:
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: David James Woo
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Deliang Wang
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Tim Yung
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Kai Guo
    IsPartOfRelationships:
      – BibEntity:
          Dates:
            – D: 01
              M: 04
              Type: published
              Y: 2026
          Identifiers:
            – Type: issn-print
              Value: 0141-1926
            – Type: issn-electronic
              Value: 1469-3518
          Numbering:
            – Type: volume
              Value: 52
            – Type: issue
              Value: 2
          Titles:
            – TitleFull: British Educational Research Journal
              Type: main
ResultId 1