Human-AI Interaction In K-12 Education

During the summer of 2019, I worked with Dr. Vincent Aleven and Dr. Ken Holstein at Carnegie Mellon University's Human Computer Interaction Institute to independently research novel interface design and real-time analytics via mobile wearables for teachers in artificial intelligence-assisted classroom sessions. We designed and researched ways to integrate the classroom technology ecosystem, increase educational equity in artificially intelligent learning environments, and support teacher efficiency and workflow in "hands-busy, eyes-busy" computing environments like classrooms.

Through user research with K-12 teachers, I found that smartwatches can augment teacher efficiency and communication amongst many classroom stakeholders, while increasing learning outcomes and educational equity in students. Additionally, this unique interface, when well-designed, can serve as an effective bridge between personal student technology, traditional two-dimensional interfaces, and larger interfaces such as smartboards in the classroom.

Question I explored included: How can we create beneficial, sustainable Human-AI partnerships? How can we unobtrusively support teachers and improve educational equity in personalized learning classrooms? How can we utilize multi-sensory data input and output, such as well-matched gestures and haptics, to optimize teacher and student experiences? How can we maximize the potential of wearables for classroom orchestration? 

Throughout this research, I also became deeply interested in artificial intelligence ethics, emotion-based artificial intelligence analytics, and alternative forms of sensory feedback, such as contextual haptics.