IHERD Distinguished Speaker Series – Learning through Conversations with Computer Agents in the Era of Generative AI
Lectures and Seminars
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Date
23 Jun 2026
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Organiser
IHERD
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Time
10:30 - 12:00
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Venue
HJ305 Map
Speaker
Prof. Arthur C. GRAESSER
Summary
Title: Learning through Conversations with Computer Agents in the Era of Generative AI
Abstract: The first half of this presentation reflects on the research on computer agents in learning and assessment environments. This includes a version of AutoTutor that helps adults learn STEM subject matters, comprehension skills, and critical thinking skills. Some of these systems have three-party conversations, called trialogues, where two agents (such as a tutor and a peer) interact with the adult. This work is compatible with the intelligent tutoring system architecture of the Generalized Intelligent Framework for Tutoring (GIFT, gifttutoring.org).
The second half of the presentation provides observations, reflections, and questions about using Generative AI (e.g., large language models, ChatGPT) to develop learning and assessment applications with conversational agents. I will comment on some current projects by other researchers exploring how Gen-AI can enhance the development, quality, and scope of conversation-based learning and assessment.
Keynote Speaker
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Prof. Arthur C. GRAESSER
Professor in the Department of Psychology and the Institute of Intelligent Systems at the University of Memphis
Honorary Research Fellow at University of Oxford
Prof. Graesser received his Ph.D. in psychology from the University of California at San Diego. His research is in cognitive science, discourse processing, and the learning sciences, with more specific interests include question asking and answering, tutoring, reading, text comprehension, inference generation, conversation, memory, emotions, artificial intelligence, computational linguistics, and human-computer interaction. He served as editor of the journals Discourse Processes (1996–2005) and Journal of Educational Psychology (2009-2014) and as presidents of the Empirical Studies of Literature, Art, and Media (1989-1992), the Society for Text and Discourse (2007-2010), the International Society for Artificial Intelligence in Education (2007-2009), and the Federation of Associations in the Behavioral and Brain Sciences Foundation (2012-13). In addition to publishing over 800 articles in journals, books, and conference proceedings, he has written 3 books and co-edited 25 books. He and his colleagues have developed and tested software in learning, language, and discourse technologies, including those that hold a conversation in natural language and interact with multimedia (such as AutoTutor) and those that analyze text on multiple levels of language and discourse (Coh-Metrix). He was a member of OECD expert panels on problem solving, namely PIAAC 2011 Problem Solving in Technology Rich Environments, PISA 2012 Complex Problem Solving, PISA 2015 Collaborative Problem Solving (chair), and PIAAC Complex Problem Solving 2021. He served on five panels with NASEM, including the second volume of How People Learn?
