AI Agent Workshop: Online & Offline Workshop Outline

Overview

In today’s tech-driven educational landscape, Artificial Intelligence (AI) is increasingly used to enhance learning. Surveys show that 86% of students are already using AI in their studies, yet 80% feel their institutions aren’t meeting expectations for integrating AI. One emerging solution is the use of AI agents in education – autonomous software systems that operate within learning environments. AI agents can integrate with student information systems and learning platforms to gather data and adapt in real time to learners’ needs, providing personalized support. For example, an AI agent might automatically deliver a targeted practice quiz when it detects a student struggling with a concept, or send a timely reminder to a student who hasn’t logged in recently. These agents offer a balance between scalable automation and personalized guidance, potentially enriching learning without replacing human teachers.

This 3-hour interactive workshop at NTU (Nanyang Technological University) introduces participants to the concept and practical applications of AI agents in education. The session is designed for undergraduate and graduate students from diverse backgrounds – including attendees from China and Europe – and will be conducted bilingually in English and Chinese. No extensive coding experience is required; instead, the workshop focuses on conceptual understanding, case studies, and hands-on activities. Participants will explore how AI agents can enhance education (e.g. through intelligent tutoring systems and virtual teaching assistants) while also discussing challenges such as maintaining human connection and ethical considerations in AI-driven learning.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:

• Define what an AI agent is in the context of education, and understand how these agents differ from traditional educational software or tools.
• Describe real-world examples of AI agents applied in educational settings – for instance, intelligent tutoring systems or AI teaching assistants – and evaluate their benefits and limitations (e.g. where they improve learning, and what potential issues or gaps exist).
• Experience an AI educational tool in action by interacting with a conversational AI or agent-driven system, and reflect on how it provides personalized support or feedback.
• Collaboratively design a concept for an AI agent to address a specific educational challenge (such as helping students learn a difficult subject, providing feedback, or assisting teachers in administrative tasks), and outline how learners or instructors would interact with this agent.
• Discuss ethical and practical considerations of deploying AI agents in education, including topics like data privacy, bias, the role of human educators, and best practices for integrating AI into teaching and learning in a responsible way.

Requirements & Preparation

• Devices: Participants should bring a laptop or tablet with internet access to engage in the interactive components.
• AI Access: It is recommended to have access to an AI tool (for example, an account on ChatGPT or a similar conversational AI platform) for the hands-on exercises. This will allow participants to experiment directly with an AI agent during the workshop. (No specific software installation is required; web-based tools will be used.)
• Prior Knowledge: No prior programming experience is needed. A basic familiarity with AI or chatbots is helpful but not mandatory – key concepts will be explained during the workshop.