Ģ������Ƶ

Story from Pigeon605

Consider this scenario: An SDSU student taking a history course is reading about the American Revolution, and something doesn’t make sense.

Instead of leaving the course to search online or ask a general artificial intelligence chatbot, the student can turn to an AI tutor already embedded in the class. The tool can help summarize the reading, identify key points or talk through questions in a way that is specific to the course material.

It also can ask what the student already understands, identify gaps and help guide the student toward the answer.

That is the kind of learning experience Ģ������Ƶ is working to build as it continues evolving its use of AI in higher education — not as a replacement for faculty, but as another tool to support teaching, tutoring and student success.

“It’s using AI for much more focused learning,” said Victor Taylor, vice provost for graduate education and extended studies.

As SDSU continues expanding AI across the university, one of its most promising uses is as a teaching assistant: helping students ask better questions, work through challenging material and receive immediate support beyond the traditional classroom.

“SDSU sees AI as a technology that serves everyone regardless of major and is integrating AI competencies throughout all academic program curricula,” said Dennis Hedge, provost and vice president for academic affairs and a professor at SDSU.

The university’s approach is rooted in awareness, ethical use and adaptability, he said.

“Instilling a sense of lifelong learning related to AI and adjusting as technology advances is key to ensuring a strong and nimble workforce for the state,” Hedge said.

That philosophy is showing up in practical ways for students and faculty.

Through SDSU’s learning management system, D2L, students have access to AI Tutor Pro, a tool available for undergraduate and graduate courses. Unlike a general online search or open-ended AI chatbot, the tool is designed to support course-based learning.

“One of the really important growth areas in AI development is in education, K-12 and higher ed,” Taylor said. “And one of the things AI developers are focused on is how AI can assist with not only student learning but overall student success.”

For students, that can mean a more focused way to work through material, thanks to an AI tutor embedded in the class and trained on material specific to it.

“It’s not like Google where it goes to the whole internet,” Taylor said. “These are very specific AI tools that can do deep dives on information, so a student doesn’t have to leave the course. They can go to the AI tutor and get specific disciplined-based responses.”

The tool also is designed to be conversational rather than simply producing an answer. Before responding, it can ask what a student already knows about a topic, assess gaps in understanding and help guide the student toward the answer.

That matters, Taylor said, because the goal is not for AI to simply complete work for students.

“We just don’t want to give the student the answer,” he said. “We want to make sure the student knows the context.”

The result is closer to an on-demand tutor than a search engine. Students still have access to tutoring and other support on campus, but AI Tutor Pro provides another layer of help that is available immediately and at any time.

“They have access to tutors on campus, but this is 24/7 and immediate and right there at their fingertips,” Taylor said.

The tool has been available at SDSU for more than a year, and feedback from students and faculty has been positive, he said. It has been useful across disciplines, including math, economics and the humanities.

The product, developed in Canada with government grant support, has been used more than 2.8 million times by students and educators in Canada and elsewhere, Taylor said. SDSU’s version is available to the university at no cost through a partnership.

“We’re the only one I know of in the region who has this partnership,” Taylor said.

For Hedge, the potential is significant because AI can help students practice, apply and deepen what they are learning.

“Embedding AI tools in the classroom gives faculty and students access to tremendous resources,” he said. “These include 24/7 AI-based tutoring and AI-assisted learning in the form of simulations and case studies.”

AI also can help create real-world scenarios that strengthen critical thinking and problem-solving, he said.

“AI integrations allow students to experience real-world scenarios that enhance critical thinking and problem-solving skills, better preparing them for entry into the modern workforce,” Hedge said.

SDSU also is exploring another emerging use of AI in teaching: oral assessment.

The university plans to pilot an AI tool this school year that allows faculty to redesign assignments around oral exams. The tool can ask questions based on course content, and students can respond orally using a microphone or by keying in responses.

For faculty concerned about how AI is affecting student writing, oral assessment offers another way to evaluate learning. It also gives students a chance to explain concepts in their own words and practice spoken communication.

“Oral assessment is making a comeback across disciplines,” Hedge said. “AI agents can act as an ‘interviewer’ asking students questions about course content and engaging them in a dialogue.”

The tool could be used for review, quizzes, class preparation or concept checks. Faculty members remain central to assessment, Taylor emphasized.

“The faculty member is always overseeing any assessment,” he said. “The AI tutor can give feedback, but as far as grading goes, it’s always the professor assigning the grade or making an evaluation of students. We do want to keep the human in the loop.”

Hedge sees value in using AI-supported oral assessment to better understand how deeply students grasp course material.

“It is a way to assist faculty in assessing the depth of a student’s understanding and allows testing to be more variable and not always centered on writing,” he said. “It also gives students the opportunity to practice their spoken communication skills.”

In a human resources course, for example, a student could play the role of an employer while the AI agent acts as a prospective employee, creating a simulated interview environment.

Taylor said SDSU is talking with faculty about piloting the oral assessment tool in both a STEM course and a humanities course during the school year.

“I think students will like it because they write a lot of papers and assignments,” he said. “With an oral exam, they go in and record, and the faculty can review it later, so it adds a new dimension to the assessment.”

The work is part of a broader university strategy to prepare students for a workforce in which AI will be increasingly present across industries.

SDSU’s Center for AI Innovation and Emergent Technologies is expected to play a key role in that effort by identifying and providing AI tools that support learning and student success.

“As SDSU builds its capacity for high-performance computing, we’ll have more resources to support homegrown AI tools,” Hedge said. “This is important in so far as faculty can customize learning opportunities for specific students and their interests, enabling a highly personalized experience for the learner.”

That ability to personalize learning is one of the most intriguing long-term opportunities, he added. Faculty could use AI to help shape learning experiences around a student’s interests, skill level or career goals while still maintaining the academic oversight and ethical framework expected in higher education.

As the technology evolves, SDSU’s goal is to ensure students are not only using AI but also understanding how to use it effectively, ethically and in ways that enhance their learning.

“SDSU is excited to continue expanding resources that support the responsible use of artificial intelligence at the university,” Hedge said. “During the academic year ahead, SDSU will emphasize AI efforts that support teaching, learning and overall academic success.”