Artificial Intelligence Shortcuts and Infrastructure Deficits in Vocational Project-Based Learning

Abstract

The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies poses a dual challenge within the vocational education ecosystem. While the curriculum mandates rigorous technical competency standards, the availability of physical facilities within school workshops remains severely constrained. This structural infrastructure imbalance drives students to adopt digital shortcuts that risk undermining the efficacy of Project-Based Learning (PjBL). This descriptive qualitative case study explores this phenomenon among 23 visual communication design (VCD) students at a vocational high school (SMK). Data collection relied on participant observation and design artifact evaluation. Project originality was systematically measured using a four-level analytical rubric, with evaluation indicators spanning AI detection indices, visual anatomy defect analysis, source file track records, and ideation log histories. The limited availability of a single sublimation press unit created substantial bottlenecks during the physical production phase, inducing severe frustration among students. Consequently, the majority of the research subjects responded to this operational pressure by exploiting automatic vector-tracing shortcuts. This shortcut behavior manifests as a form of fake engagement triggered by deficient technological literacy. The completion cycle of a single project element suffered significant delays, extending across eight classroom sessions. The rubric scores confirmed a dominance of low-originality levels resulting from instant software manipulation devoid of manual sketching workflows. Grounded in Self-Determination Theory (SDT), infrastructure deficits were proven to systematically hinder the cultivation of student learning autonomy and intrinsic motivation. Evaluating the ratio of manufacturing facilities to classroom capacity emerges as a critical imperative for institutional education management. Furthermore, the development of cross-teacher integrated instructional modules is vital to sustain project pedagogical momentum. Policymakers must recalibrate AI utilization guidelines to prioritize the reinforcement of fundamental psychomotor skills.