Mengqi Shi
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Learning Technologies and AI Literacy

I am interested in how learning technologies can support older adults in understanding and engaging with AI. My recent work examines how conversational agents can be designed to better support confidence, engagement, and practical AI literacy.

I also draw on computing education research to understand how complex concepts are taught, assessed, and made accessible across different learner populations.

"Learning tools should not only teach concepts clearly, but also support confidence and engagement for the people using them."

Research Questions

  • How can conversational agents help older adults learn about AI in ways that feel engaging, approachable, and supportive?
  • What kinds of agent characteristics help reduce affective barriers such as low confidence or disengagement?
  • How can computing education research better capture what learners understand and where misconceptions persist?

Current Project Areas

  • Conversational agents for supporting older adults in learning about AI, including peer-like agent designs.
  • Studies of engagement and confidence in AI literacy learning tasks such as understanding deepfakes.
  • Systematic review work on concept inventories in computing education and how conceptual understanding is assessed.