Session 302: Revolutionizing Education: Introducing Sarah 2.0, the AI Virtual Teaching Assistant

Date: Thursday, January 9

Time: 2:30 PM – 3:20 PM

Location: McKinley 201

Presenter: Aref Zahed (Professorial Lecturer, CAS | Computer Science)

Session Description:

Discover the potential of Sarah 2.0, the AI virtual teaching assistant, designed to support faculty and students through innovative teaching practices. Learn how AI can address challenges in higher education, from managing workload to enhancing student engagement, while fostering a personalized and scalable learning environment. This session will demonstrate real-world applications of AI in education, specifically through the lens of Sarah, AU’s pioneering virtual teaching assistant. The goal is to inspire AU faculty to consider innovative tools that align with the university’s commitment to academic excellence in an ever-changing educational landscape. Faculty will be encouraged to pilot test Sarah in their courses and share feedback to support ongoing development, including thoughts on the ethical balance between AI and human support roles.

Learning Outcomes:

• Explain the role of AI in addressing current and future challenges in higher education, including ethical considerations
• Identify practical applications of AI virtual assistants to support both faculty and students, in conjunction with traditional graduate student roles
• Explore how to implement AI-driven solutions in their own teaching to enhance learning outcomes and manage administrative tasks, with the option to pilottest Sarah and provide feedback