17 Dec 2024
Dr Li Xie, Associate Professor in the Department of Finance of International Business School Suzhou (IBSS) at Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University (XJTLU) , has been bestowed with the 2024 Teaching Excellence Award in the category of Contribution to the Deployment of AI and Digitalisation in Education. Dr Xie was recognised for his groundbreaking work in piloting an AI teaching assistant in his financial analysis course, thereby offering students a highly personalised learning experience.
The award-winning project spearheaded by Dr Xie centres on the integration of AI technology into the postgraduate course FIN409 Financial Analysis. This course challenges students to comprehensively evaluate publicly-listed companies using their knowledge of economics and financial statement analysis, culminating in the writing of detailed industry and company valuation reports. To address the diverse language backgrounds and academic needs of students, Dr Xie innovatively designed a personalised AI teaching assistant. This assistant aids students in understanding and applying complex financial models and theories, while also providing personalised learning support and emotional encouragement. This novel approach effectively mitigates the academic and psychological pressures faced by students, offering them a comforting and supportive learning environment.
The AI teaching assistant is adept at tailoring its responses to various types of questions—be they conceptual, analytical, procedural, or evaluative—thereby offering customised guidance to each student. For instance, when assisting students in grasping the concept of Weighted Average Cost of Capital (WACC), the AI assistant provides step-by-step guidance and real-world financial case studies to enhance understanding and application. For application-based queries, it employs a Socratic dialogue approach, encouraging students to delve deeper into financial analysis concepts and link theoretical knowledge with real industry scenarios, rather than merely providing direct answers.
Additionally, the AI teaching assistant offers bilingual explanations and simplifies technical terms to ensure that all students can comprehend and engage with the course content. This AI project not only boosts student learning outcomes but also adds emotional value, creating a supportive and empathetic learning environment. This initiative aligns with IBSS’s strategic focus on advancing digitalisation and innovation in education.
Dr Nimesh Salike, Associate Dean of Learning and Teaching at IBSS, congratulated Dr Xie and announced the plan to introduce the AI teaching assistant, which provides emotional value to students, across all courses next semester. By leveraging AI technology, the school aims to offer comprehensive educational support that combines knowledge transfer with emotional care. Dr Xie’s award not only highlights his individual achievements but also acknowledges the accomplishments of IBSS in educational innovation and the application of AI technology.
17 Dec 2024