Iris, an AI-based chatbot developed by researchers at the Technical University of Munich (TUM), is making strides in Computer Science education by providing individualized support to students. This chatbot is redefining the scope of educational assistance by bridging the gap between human tutors and students, allowing for personalized guidance in programming assignments.
In the increasingly digitalized world of education, where computer science lectures cater to over a thousand students at once, Iris comes as a boon. It is integrated into the Artemis learning platform – a sophisticated educational tool developed by Professor Stephan Krusche and his team at TUM, which has been in operation since 2016. Unlike typical virtual learning platforms, Artemis and Iris together not only assign tasks to students but also provide immediate, personalized feedback on errors and misconceptions in their approach.
The AI model, built on OpenAI's GPT large language model, was incorporated into Artemis in the latter half of the preceding year. Iris is designed as an exceptional tutor, offering gentle nudges and thought-provoking questions instead of direct solutions. Such an approach motivates students to think critically about the problems they're working on. To enhance learning efficiency, Iris focuses on answering questions directly related to the course content.
Highlighting the success and effectiveness of Iris, Patrick Bassner, a doctoral candidate at the Chair of Software Engineering, cited a study conducted on more than 200 students from three introductory computer science courses. The study aimed to gauge students' comfort with the AI tutor, its perceived efficacy, and whether the students developed subjective trust in the tool.
A significant finding from the study is that students indeed value Iris's support, though many also acknowledge the importance of human tutors. Notably, students reported feeling comfortable and secure while engaging with Iris, in part because they felt that their conversations with the chatbot were private and free from judgment.
Particularly beneficial in large formatting lectures, Iris helps students overcome their reservations about asking questions in public. As the use of Iris becomes increasingly popular, students have found confidence in tackling exams without its help, demonstrating the tool's success in promoting independent problem-solving skills.
Professor Stephan Krusche asserts that AI-enabled tutors like Iris can be valuable additions to traditional educational environments. Their ability to offer personalized support encourages independent learning, while enhancing students' capabilities to self-educate. Plans are underway to augment the chatbot Iris and extend its usefulness to other fields of study in the future.
Disclaimer: The above article was written with the assistance of AI. The original sources can be found on ScienceDaily.
