AI-Supported Mentoring in Higher Education: Optimizing myIDP With Large Language Models

• In Event: Friday Roundtable Session 4:55 pm
  In Roundtable Session: AI and Virtual Mentoring (Table 39)

Abstract

Mentoring is crucial for success in higher education. The Individual Development Plan (IDP) has emerged as a widely used mentoring tool. The web-based platform, myIDP, has gained popularity in STEM fields, assisting graduate students and postdoctoral researchers in career planning with mentoring support. However, the dynamic nature of STEM professions has led to outdated information on career exploration within myIDP, necessitating heavy reliance on human mentors. To address this issue, this study explores the feasibility of integrating artificial intelligence (AI) mentors, specifically large language models like Google Bard and ChatGPT, into myIDP. The research presents some valuable prompts in Google Bard and highlights both strengths and challenges of this integration during the career planning process.

Authors

• Chi-Ning Chang, Virginia Commonwealth University

• John Hui, Virginia Commonwealth University

• Cammie Justus-Smith, Virginia Commonwealth University

• Tzu-Wei Wang, Virginia Commonwealth University