Discover how interactive avatars capable of responding to human voice or text prompts can transform teaching and learning. In this gamified, hands-on session, participants will co-create and test rapid teaching exchanges between humans and conversational AI avatars—whether self-cloned or pre-built. Using platforms such as D-ID, HeyGen, Synthesia, or comparable tools, alongside NotebookLM and ChatGPT, teams will design short dialogue-based teaching scenarios that model real-world challenges like giving feedback, addressing student anxiety, or explaining complex concepts. Attendees will leave with practical, ready-to-use strategies for integrating avatar-driven interaction to enhance empathy, feedback, and engagement in both online and hybrid classrooms.

This highly interactive session invites educators to explore how conversational avatars—AI-driven digital characters capable of real-time, voice- or text-based dialogue—can serve as creative partners in teaching and learning. Participants will experiment with a variety of tools (e.g., D-ID, HeyGen, Synthesia, NotebookLM) to design short, simulated teaching moments that mirror authentic classroom exchanges.

Working in teams, participants will design and perform a 60–90-second scenario where a human instructor interacts dynamically with an AI avatar clone or character. Tools like ChatGPT and NotebookLM will assist with scripting and tone-matching, while avatar platforms bring the dialogue to life through spoken or text-based response.

The session begins with a brief, interactive warm-up designed to immerse participants in the concept of teaching in tandem with one’s digital counterpart. This reflective activity invites attendees to explore how an AI-generated version of themselves might handle a familiar teaching moment differently—and what that variation reveals about tone, empathy, and instructional presence. The experience serves as a thoughtful entry point for the collaborative design work that follows, grounding the session in the practical and pedagogical implications of human–AI interaction.

Teams then:

1. Select a scenario representing a common instructional challenge (e.g., providing difficult feedback, easing student anxiety, or clarifying a misunderstood concept).
2. Create and record a short dialogue between a human instructor and an avatar using any available conversational-AI tool.
3. Present their exchange for peer review using a rubric that assesses empathy, clarity, realism, and pedagogical impact.

The closing discussion will focus on ethical and pedagogical implications—including authenticity, bias, and data privacy—while highlighting how educators can embed avatar-based simulations into professional development or student learning contexts. Participants will leave with a replicable 45-minute activity design adaptable for workshops or classroom settings.

👥 Level of Participation

Hands-on and collaborative.

Participants will design, perform, and evaluate short human–AI teaching exchanges in small teams, engaging in guided reflection and creative experimentation.

🎓 Learning Outcomes

Participants will be able to:

1. Experiment with at least one conversational-avatar platforms to simulate authentic instructional dialogue.
2. Design avatar-based scenarios that model empathy, feedback, and instructional clarity.
3. Evaluate AI-generated dialogue using pedagogical criteria—tone, realism, empathy, and learning impact.
4. Reflect on ethical, creative, and instructional implications of using digital avatars in education.

🧩 Technology Requirements

• Recommended tools: Conversational-avatar platforms such as D-ID, HeyGen, Synthesia, or ChatGPT and NotebookLM for idea generation and scripting.
• Participant needs: Laptop/tablet with microphone and internet access (headphones recommended).
• Shared workspace (e.g., Google Docs or Padlet)
• A scoring rubric for peer feedback will be provided.

Lloyd Carew-Reid, BCom

Senior Instructional Designer at Yeshiva University

Senior Instructional Designer and Teaching & Learning Specialist
Katz School of Science and Health, New York
Expertise: Online course design, Canvas LMS, generative AI integration, faculty development