The Jigsaw Interactive Agent (JIA) supports a specific type of group activity called a jigsaw, which is a cooperative learning strategy that asks groups of students to become “experts” on different aspects of a topic and then come together to share their knowledge with the group. Jigsaw activities encourage students to listen carefully to one another, discuss ideas, and build on those ideas to push the group’s thinking forward.
JIA offers two types of real time, interactive support: 1) tips to improve how a group is working together, and 2) hints for when a group is missing important information to complete an activity.
JIA is designed to work with minimal setup and little data, making it ideal for classrooms that are just starting to incorporate AI technology to support collaborations. The system uses a simple web platform that connects the jigsaw activities from the curriculum with a chatbot, which helps students talk through ideas and plan projects together.
