NALA Project


NALA logo

 

 


Learning With, About and Beyond AI.

 

Background

At NTU, we are leveraging generative AI to enhance learning. Introducing the NALA (NTU AI Learning Assistants) Builder, a platform that allows faculty to create their own generative AI assistant for their classes. This end-to-end no-code platform empowers educators to create, deploy, and manage custom Gen AI chatbots with built-in analytics - all in just three simple steps, with no technical expertise required.

Tailored to course content and teaching style, these assistants are designed to scale across multiple teaching contexts. Faculty can upload their own course materials, choose their preferred LLM model, and configure up to five ways the learning assistants should interact with the students.


NALA is now supported by the University’s EdTech team as a standard service. The Education Transformation Office (ETO) continues to study how students learn with it, run faculty workshops and help lecturers customise their assistants.

 

Learning With AI

Since its launch in 2023, Project NALA has been adopted in 50 courses within NTU. Examples include courses in coding, marketing, economics, language learning, disability studies, physics, mathematics, and circuit design.

Importantly, learning with AI is not about students passively engaging AI in question and answers. Many of our faculty have selected or designed experiences where students engage in active and constructive ways with the AI Learning Assistants



Learning About AI

AI hallucinates. It may not stick to the intended persona. At the same time, it does not help students keep track of and set goals for their learning.

We are working with faculty and students to develop enhancements in line with pedagogical practices, such as FYPs, internships, and hackathons. Here is a video of a learning analytics hackathon that InsPIRE organized together with the faculty and students of the Innovation Lab of our College of Computer and Data Sciences.



Through these activities, we offer opportunities for students to build AI solutions and enhance their employability. At the same time, the university benefits from faculty and student ideas, as we continuously improve and innovate on the pedagogical offering of NALA.

 


Learning Beyond AI

It is important for our students to develop core human competencies, and anchor their use of AI on human-centric values and ethics. We have published widely on the effectiveness of AI in supporting student learning outcomes. We have several undergraduate research experience (URECA) projects that leverages NALA. Some of the enhancements by the FYP students have also been submitted to peer-reviewed conferences.

 


 

Publications

 

Videos