The main goal of the study was to explore middle school students' perceptions of the roles, benefits, and challenges of using a Generative AI-powered teachable agent in a mathematics classroom.
Methods: The research involved classroom observations, focus-group interviews, and open-ended surveys with 108 sixth-grade students. The study utilized a GenAI-powered teachable agent designed to simulate a less knowledgeable peer, encouraging students to teach it math concepts.
Key Findings:
- Students viewed the GenAI-powered teachable agent as a learning companion, facilitator, and collaborative problem-solver.
- The agent helped create a student-centered learning environment, fostering autonomy and enhancing cognitive, social, and emotional capacities.
- Students reported improved subject-matter knowledge and a positive attitude toward AI.
- Challenges included the agent's lack of problem-presentation skills, inability to accommodate different learning styles, and technical issues.
Implications: The findings suggest that GenAI-powered teachable agents can support the learning-by-teaching pedagogical strategy, offering personalized and engaging learning experiences. They highlight the potential for AI to enhance educational environments by fostering student autonomy and improving learning outcomes.Limitations: The study's limitations include its focus on a specific educational context (middle school math class in the U.S.) and the proprietary nature of the LLMs used, which may introduce biases.
Future Directions: Future research should explore the application of GenAI-powered teachable agents in diverse educational settings, utilize open-sourced LLMs to mitigate bias, and investigate the long-term impact on student learning and attitudes.
Title and Authors: "Students' Perceived Roles, Opportunities, and Challenges of a Generative AI-powered Teachable Agent: A Case of Middle School Math Class" by Yukyeong Song, Jinhee Kim, Zifeng Liu, Chenglu Li, and Wanli Xing.
Published On: August 26, 2024
Published By: Computers and Society