GSU News:

ATLANTA — The U.S. Department of Education (DOE) has awarded the National Institute for Student Success (NISS) at Georgia State University (GSU) a $7.6 million grant to study how chatbots can improve student outcomes in foundational college math and English courses.

Building on previous studies that demonstrate AI-enhanced chatbots increase grades and retention rates among lower-income and first-generation students, the NISS will deploy chatbot technology in first-year math and English courses at Georgia State and its associate degree-granting institution Perimeter College, and at partner schools Morgan State University in Maryland and the University of Central Florida.

The DOE’s highly competitive Postsecondary Student Success Program supports innovative approaches with the potential to improve national student outcomes. The NISS grant will fund the piloting and scaling of text-based chatbots in critical first-year courses at the partner universities as well as support an evaluation team of national scholars to assess the work.

The goal of introducing chatbots into these courses, according to Tim Renick, the founding executive director of the NISS and the project lead for the grant, is to provide more personalized and timely supports for the students in the courses. The chatbot is designed to complement the efforts of course instructors — answering basic student questions about course material, reminding students of upcoming assignments, and offering encouragement and tips when they struggle.

“Because of their schedules, students with jobs and families currently are less likely to attend after-class tutoring and study sessions,” Renick said. “The chatbots we are developing can support students 24/7, answer questions after hours and keep students on track in these challenging courses.”

Read more about the grant here.