Meet Your New TA and Teammate: AI in the Online Class
Presented by:
Amber Dailey-Hebert, Park University
Linda Passamaneck, University of Oklahoma
We built AVA, a custom AI course assistant, to give students instant support, strengthen digital literacy, and model collaborative AI use for group projects.
Keywords:
Online Learning, Artificial Intelligence, Virtual Teaching Assistant
Abstract:
We developed AVA, a customized AI teaching assistant embedded within a fully online course to enhance student learning and digital confidence. AVA provides immediate answers to course questions, guidance on assignments, and personalized support, reducing confusion and fostering timely engagement. Beyond on-demand help, AVA functions as a model for ethical and effective AI collaboration, supporting students in developing digital literacy, problem-solving skills, and teamwork strategies. Students also learn to use AVA as a brainstorming partner for group projects, gaining hands-on experience in leveraging AI as a productive teammate in academic and professional settings.
Outcomes:
1. Explore how a customized AI teaching assistant (AVA) can enhance online learning by providing immediate course support and promoting timely student engagement.
2. Explain strategies for integrating AI tools to build student digital literacy, ethical awareness, and confidence in collaborative AI use.
3. Evaluate the role of AI as a brainstorming partner and teammate in group projects, identifying implications for student problem-solving, communication, and future-ready workforce skills.
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References:
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Gerlich, M. (2025). AI tools in society: Impacts on cognitive offloading and the future of critical thinking. Societies, 15(1), 6. https://doi.org/10.3390/soc15010006
Sajja, R., Sermet, Y., Fodale, B., & Demir, I. (2025). Evaluating AI-powered learning assistants in engineering higher education: Student engagement, ethical challenges, and policy implications. Computers and Society (arXiv preprint arXiv:2506.05699). https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2506.05699