Explore

Dreamscape Learn AI Companion

An always-on, AI-powered support avatar guiding students through biology coursework, wherever and whenever they need help.

⁠

🔍 Overview

The Dreamscape Learn AI Companion is an intelligent chatbot embedded directly into ASU’s Canvas environment and Google Drive, built to provide just-in-time, context-aware support for students enrolled in immersive biology courses. With an interactive avatar, speech capabilities, and course-aware responses, the companion helps students navigate labs, understand Excel assignments, and overcome confusion, without giving away answers.

⁠

🧠 My Role

As Product Manager for the student experience, I led:

Iterative design of the chatbot interface and experience

Development of system-level prompts and voice interaction logic

Oversight of plugin UX, integrating directly with Canvas and Google Drive

Coordination with Dreamscape Learn, EdPlus, Enterprise Technology, and ASU faculty to align educational goals, privacy/security requirements, and usability

Enablement of function calling and RAG-based architecture, allowing the AI to contextually use screenshots and a knowledge base to provide accurate responses

This was one of the most cross-functional projects I’ve led, involving deep coordination across ASU teams and tight collaboration with our development partners.

⁠

🎯 The Challenge

Dreamscape Learn immerses students in 3D VR biology experiences — like exploring an alien zoo — but many students struggled when returning to traditional assignments a week later. Research revealed key pain points around understanding technical instructions, using Excel/statistics, and lacking real-time help when instructors or peers weren’t available. Students needed a scaffolded, in-context support system that could meet them where they were — and help them move forward.

⁠

💡 The Solution

We built the AI Companion to follow students across their course experience. Key features include: A lifelike, animated avatar for humanlike connection

Speech-to-text and text-to-speech, allowing natural, voice-driven interaction

A persistent plugin that overlays within Canvas and the 2D Dreamscape Learn interface

Contextual understanding of each page using screenshot-based input

LTI integration with Canvas, enabling course-aware guidance tailored to each student’s progression

A Socratic approach — guiding students rather than giving answers

⁠

🧪 User Research Insights

In collaboration with the UXR team, we gathered feedback through surveys and interviews with BIO 181 students. Key insights included:

Struggles with Excel formulas and statistical analysis

Confusion around assignment instructions and lab prompts

A need for examples of properly formatted graphs

Positive feedback about 24/7 availability and its usefulness when peers or TAs were unavailable

⁠

⁠
⁠
⁠

📊 Pilot Results

4.4/5 overall rating from students

Rated highly for helping with Excel, statistics, and assignment clarification

Students praised its constant availability, especially in asynchronous or global learning environments

Seen as a reliable companion for getting unstuck during assignments

⁠

🛠️ Tools Used

⁠

Coda – project management, product docs, user stories, meeting notes

Create AI Platform – internal ASU infrastructure hosting 30+ LLMs

OpenAI API – early MVP backend

Slack, Figma, Google Docs – comms and collaborative design

⁠

Up Next:

⁠

Language Buddy An AI-powered language partner that helps students practice speaking, build confidence, and improve fluency, anytime, anywhere.⁠

⁠

Want to print your doc?
This is not the way.

Try clicking the ··· in the right corner or using a keyboard shortcut (

CtrlP

) instead.