Professor David Flaten at Tompkins Cortland Community College has introduced an ibl.ai AI Agent in the Department of History and Political Science. This innovative tool offers a student-centered and faculty-led approach to AI-assisted learning.
Developed in collaboration with ibl.ai, this AI Agent is transforming how students engage with course material and develop critical thinking skills.
According to Professor Flaten:
- "For those of us in the humanities and social sciences, ai has been seen as a 'cheating' mechanism. I value the ibl.ai as a supporting platform that takes my chosen narrative text and primary source documents—and from them builds a custom-made tutor to support my student learning outcomes. This provides seamless support for my students."
Key Achievements and Success Stories
Enhanced Alignment with Course Materials
Instructor-Controlled AI Persona: The AI Agent aligns seamlessly with Professor Flaten's teaching style and course objectives.
Integration of Course Resources: By incorporating narrative texts and primary source documents, students engage with curated, relevant material.
Reinforcement of Key Concepts: The AI Agent reinforces concepts from live lectures, providing consistent support for students.
Reduction in Unreliable Web Searches and Plagiarism
Discouraging Random Web Searches: Students are less tempted to search the web for information of uneven quality.
Promoting Academic Integrity: The AI Agent reduces the likelihood of plagiarism by providing reliable, instructor-approved resources.
Improved Student Learning Outcomes
Deeper Understanding of Material: Students demonstrate enhanced comprehension of course content.
Mastery of Key Concepts: A significant number of students show proficiency in learning outcomes, surpassing initial expectations.
Increased Accessibility and Support
24/7 Availability: The AI Agent is accessible anytime, providing reliable support when students need it most.
High Student Satisfaction: Of the students who reported using the AI Agent, we recorded 100% student satisfaction across the board, highlighting its effectiveness and accessibility.
Faculty Adoption and Trust in AI Technology
Positive Shift in Perception: Faculty members recognize the AI Agent as a supportive tool rather than a "cheating" mechanism.
Ease of Access for Students: The AI Agent offers seamless support, encouraging faculty to integrate it into their teaching.
Professor Flaten emphasizes: "ibl.ai directly benefits the US history survey student, who in seeking more comprehension and details--- can now easily access the customized agent platform and be better assured the information correlates with their unique narrative text and professor curated primary sources."
Enhanced Student Engagement
Regular Usage: Students consistently engage with the AI Agent, integrating it into their study routines.
Alignment with Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs): The AI Agent effectively reinforces all SLOs, ensuring a cohesive educational experience.
Operational Efficiency
Reduced Support Requests: There's a noticeable decrease in student inquiries for clarification, indicating the AI Agent's effectiveness.
Instructor Time Savings: Faculty save valuable time, allowing for more personalized instruction and focus on course development.
Student Confidence and Independence
Increased Confidence Levels: Students report feeling more confident in their understanding of course material.
Encouraged Independent Learning: The AI Agent fosters self-initiated study sessions, promoting independence and critical thinking.
Original Ideas: Beyond Mainstream AI Applications
While many educational institutions are adopting AI, Tompkins Cortland's approach is unique in its seamless integration of instructor-specific content and focus on reducing academic dishonesty. By customizing the AI Agent to align with Professor Flaten's texts and primary sources, students are less tempted to seek unreliable information online.
Professor Flaten notes: "ibl.ai is a core component for my U.S. history survey students—who need a guiding hand to review and digest both narrative and primary source texts. As an instructor, I deliver that, but there's always a need to support review of those materials, and the ibl.ai agent can be that delivery mechanism, far superior to fishing the web."
How It Works
Tompkins Cortland Community College's implementation partner, ibl.ai, provides an application-layer generative AI solution:
Language Model-Agnostic: Works with OpenAI, Gemini, LLaMA, Anthropic, and any other LLM.
Oriented for Student Success and Faculty Support: Offers deep analytics and safety layers.
Highly Customizable: Adaptable to fit specific course needs.
Affordable and Flexible Pricing
In terms of pricing, while ChatGPT charges $20 per student per month and Microsoft Copilot charges $80 per student per year for entire student populations, ibl.ai offers flexible, pay-as-you-go pricing models and bulk rates that are up to 80% cheaper. This affordability allows institutions to leverage advanced AI technology without straining their budgets, ensuring that high-quality educational tools are accessible to all.
Below is an introduction from ibl.ai Chief Technology Officer Miguel Amigot:
- "Our goal at ibl.ai is to empower educators by providing tools that enhance learning without replacing the essential human element. We believe in customizable solutions that align with each institution's unique needs, ensuring both affordability and effectiveness."
For more information about ibl.ai AI Agents and to start for free on web, iOS, and Android, please visit ibl.ai for Higher Education or message our team.