Presentations at the AI-ALOE Foundational and Use-Inspired AI Meetings 🔗
March 1, 2025
Our SMART team at AI-ALOE (Dr. Min Kyu Kim, Jinho Kim, and Yoojin Bae) presented at the biweekly Foundational and Use-Inspired AI meetings on February 24. During our presentation, we shared key aspects of SMART's design, starting with its overarching goal and our approach, which incorporates a whole-person perspective.
We highlighted the theoretical foundations that underpin SMART and discussed the design guidelines we developed, starting with an explanation of the structural framework we used. Additionally, we demonstrated how SMART guidelines fit within this framework by providing examples to illustrate their application.
Finally, we reflected on our experience preparing for this presentation, sharing insights gained throughout the process. We look forward to hearing from the other teams at AI-ALOE and learning about their design guidelines!
Lunch and Learn Talks 🔗
February 20, 2025
Our graduate research associates, YB and JK, presented at Georgia State University's Department of Learning Sciences Lunch and Learn on February 11th. The talk was held both in person and remotely via Webex, with approximately 20 attendees, including faculty members and graduate students from across the department.
A Study on AI-Augmented Concept Learning: Impact on Learner Perceptions and Outcomes in STEM Education.
Presented by Yoojin Bae
This study explores the efficacy of AI-enhanced concept learning among adult learners, aiming to bolster their comprehension and facilitate the transition to embracing technology, refining metacognitive reading strategies, and improving subsequent knowledge test scores. Leveraging an AI-driven formative assessment feedback system, named SMART, AI integration was implemented in pre-class activities within a Biology course. Learners demonstrated enhanced mental models of STEM readings, and while the levels of technology acceptance were not statistically significant, we observed numerical increases in perceived AI usefulness. However, no significant relations were found with perceived ease of use and metacognitive awareness. The impact of concept learning through SMART on knowledge test scores demonstrated partial visibility. This research underscores the holistic integration of AI tools, highlighting the importance of educators to align instructional methods such as AI with learning objectives, content, assessment tests, and learners’ AI literacy levels, particularly within the domain of online STEM education.
Based on: Bae, Y., Kim, J., Davis, A., & Kim, M. K. (2024). A Study on AI-Augmented Concept Learning: Impact on Learner Perceptions and Outcomes in STEM Education. In Lindgren, R., Asino, T. I., Kyza, E. A., Looi, C. K., Keifert, D. T., & Suárez, E. (Eds.), Proceedings of the 18th International Conference of the Learning Sciences - ICLS 2024 (pp. 1450-1453). International Society of the Learning Sciences.
Education with Generative AI: Enhancing Simulation-based Nursing Education.
Presented by Jinho Kim
Simulation-based learning is a vital component of nursing education, but often faces challenges, due to reliance on human simulation operators, which limits scalability and authenticity. This study aims to address these challenges and enhance scenario-based simulation learning through the use of generative AI as a role-playing agent in nursing simulations. Using an existing simulation scenario from a bachelor’s-level nursing course and a design-based research approach, we iteratively developed an evaluation framework, and a simulation interaction question set to evaluate the performance of generative AI models. The findings highlight strengths, such as accurate role-based dialogue generation, and limitations, including challenges with common-sense reasoning. Recommendations for leveraging generative AI in simulation-based learning include refining the evaluation framework to articulate clearer distinctions between criteria, designing question sets that integrate in-context and out-of-context prompts to comprehensively evaluate AI’s ability to handle ambiguities, and refining scenarios through iterative feedback to ensure consistency and clarity
Dr. Min Kyu Kim Receives Outstanding Faculty Research Mentoring Award 🔗
February 13, 2025
Our director, Dr. Min Kyu Kim, has been awarded The Outstanding Faculty Research Mentoring Award! This prestigious honor recognizes a faculty member who demonstrates exceptional commitment to mentoring faculty colleagues and doctoral students in research.
Contributions to Research and Mentorship
The award’s selection criteria includes serving as a senior partner in critical research topics, providing guidance on advanced research design and analysis, and assisting in securing external funding from governmental and foundation sources. Dr. Kim’s extensive experience in fostering interdisciplinary and cross-institutional collaborations has significantly contributed to the development of emerging scholars in the field of educational technology.
His work focuses on designing AI-driven learning technologies that offer personalized support to students and provide educators with insights into individual learning progress. As the founder of the AI2 Research Laboratory, he has spearheaded initiatives that integrate artificial intelligence with educational research to advance learning sciences.
Development of the SMART System
One of Dr. Kim’s notable contributions is the development of the Student Mental Model Analyzer for Research and Teaching (SMART) system, an AI-powered platform designed to enhance concept learning among adult learners. Implemented in English and Biology courses at Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG) institutions, SMART has demonstrated its effectiveness in engaging students, improving motivation, and supporting instructors with real-time insights into learner progress. His ongoing research includes the integration of data visualization tools and generative AI techniques, such as ChatGPT, to further personalize learning experiences.
Lasting Impact on Education
Dr. Kim’s commitment to advancing educational technology and mentoring the next generation of researchers has left a lasting impact. His recognition with The Outstanding Faculty Research Mentoring Award reflects his unwavering dedication to fostering research excellence and innovation in education.
External Advisory Board Meeting Presentations 🔗
December 4, 2024
During AI-ALOE's External Advisory Board meeting on December 4th, our director, Dr. Min Kyu Kim, presented on SMART Deployment and Research in Fall 2024 within the AI Technologies and Adult Learning section.
Dr. Kim began by outlining the educational goals tailored to fostering engaged learning for adult learners and presenting the foundational adult learning theories underlying the SMART design. He highlighted the implementation of user-centered instructional design through an example class deployed this semester. Additionally, Dr. Kim shared insights from the lab's theory-driven research, including data collection efforts and preliminary analysis, and outlined the future research plans aligned with the project's objectives.
This meeting served as a valuable opportunity to showcase progress and receive constructive feedback from the advisory board members.
AI2RL Lab Thanksgiving Feast 🔗
November 27, 2024
On November 27th, our lab came together at Dr. Kim's home to celebrate Thanksgiving with a joyful potluck gathering. The table was overflowing with a wide variety of delicious dishes, including meat skewers, beef, sushi, bulgogi, potato pancakes, and homemade cookies!
We spent the day sharing laughter and stories, enjoying each other's company over amazing food. It was a wonderful opportunity to relax and recharge after a semester of hard work and dedication as a lab.
AI and Instructional Design Outreach Workshop 🔗
November 16, 2024
Dr. Min Kyu Kim and our graduate associates, Jinho Kim and Yoojin Bae, participated in AI-ALOE's AI and Instructional Design Outreach Workshop on November 15, 2024. This event served as a valuable opportunity to connect researchers and educators, emphasizing the intersection of AI innovation and instructional design practices. It also provided a platform to showcase the capabilities of our SMART technology.
Graduate associate Jinho Kim gave an insightful presentation on AI and personalized feedback, focusing on SMART. The presentation included an overview of SMART, its foundational theories, and associated research, demonstrating its potential to support personalized learning. Following the presentation, Dr. Min Kyu Kim led an engaging discussion to explore ideas and strategies for effectively integrating these tools into educational environments.
For more details about the workshop, check out these posts:
AI and Instructional Design Outreach Workshop
Exciting News: NSF-IUSE Project Featured in Research & Innovation! 🔗
November 9, 2024
Congratulations!
Our NSF-IUSE Project was highlighted in the Fall ’24 issue of Research & Innovation, and the story was also posted on the Georgia State News Hub.
Please see the full article in the link: LINK
Dr. Min Kyu Kim Joins AERJ Editorial Board 🔗
October 28, 2024
We are pleased to announce that our Founding Director, Dr. Min Kyu Kim, has been appointed as a member of the Editorial Board for the American Educational Research Journal (AERJ). AERJ is recognized as one of the most prestigious journals in the field of education. Congratulations to Dr. Kim on this well-deserved achievement!
Dr. Min Kyu Kim Represents ALOE at Summit for AI Institutes Leadership (SAIL) in Pittsburgh. 🔗
October 10, 2024
From October 7 to October 10, Dr. Min Kyu Kim, attended the Summit for AI Institutes Leadership in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (SAIL 2024). The event brought together representatives from 27 AI institutes funded by the National Science Foundation to discuss advancements in various fields, including food security, public safety, education, and weather forecasting.
On October 8, Dr. Kim served on a panel discussing foundational AI research. He shared insights on ALOE’s strategic approach to overcoming challenges and building foundational models for personalized learning in adult education and online environments. The discussion emphasized use-inspired connections, exploring both opportunities and obstacles in developing foundational AI models across various domains.
On October 10, Dr. Kim, along with the AI-ALOE team, participated in the AI Institutes Expo Day, where we shared with visitors how we develop and implement responsible AI to transform education and explored opportunities for collaboration. We had the pleasure of engaging in meaningful conversations with many attendees. We would like to thank the AI Institutes Virtual Organization (AIVO) for organizing and facilitating both the hashtag#SAIL2024 event and the Expo Day, two wonderful occasions that brought all the AI institutes together and connected us with the public.
AI-ALOE Mini-Retreat: We presented SMART Research in Year 4 🔗
October 4, 2024
On October 2, 2024, our graduate associates, Jinho Kim, Seora Kim, Yoojin Bae, along with Dr. Min Kyu Kim attended AI-ALOE Mini-Retreat. Yoojin Bae and Seora Kim presented “SMART Research for Year 4,” focusing on technology integration in adult online education. Discussions centered on four key areas: educational goals for adult learners, instructional design collaboration, grounding in learning theories, and research contributions to adult education.
The retreat also showcased participatory instructional design and pilot programs, including the use of AI-augmented tools such as SMART to enhance learning experiences and support online education. The research aims to advance the field of adult learning through innovative AI applications.
