Empowering Instructors | Supporting Excellence
Excellence in Teaching Series
The Excellence in Teaching series is made possible by the Genteels' Excellence in Teaching fund. Throughout the year, we host events designed to inspire teaching excellence and address relevant topics related to teaching and assessment.
The rapid development of Generative AI has left many wondering whether human instructors will soon be replaced by intelligent machines. In this keynote, Professor Zhongzhou Chen will share three recent projects that explore how AI can be harnessed to enhance—not replace—the human touch in teaching and learning.
- Case 1: A study comparing AI- and instructor-generated feedback, where students sometimes rated AI feedback as “more human-like.”
- Case 2: An investigation of AI-assisted grading, showing how integrating instructor expertise allows AI to amplify human contributions to student learning.
- Case 3: The use of GenAI in human-centered instructional design to increase engagement and accessibility in large physics classrooms.
Together, these examples highlight how AI can transform practices that often feel “machine-like” by making them more personal, engaging, and student-centered.
2025 Keynote Speaker: Zhongzhou Chen
Conference keynote sponsored by the Genteels' Excellence in Teaching Conference
Dr. Zhongzhou Chen's research focuses on utilizing cutting-edge technology, especially Generative AI, to transform and advance Physics and STEM Education. He also utilizes machine learning methods to gain insights into student learning behavior from analyzing student learning data in online learning environments.
Dr. Zhongzhou Chen earned his Ph.D. in physics from University of Illinois Urbana Champaign in 2012, specializing in physics education and multimedia learning. In 2013 he joined the RELATE group at MIT as a postdoc research fellow, conducting educational research in Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) on the edX platform, mentored by Prof. David Pritchard.