Can AI Help Students Succeed? This Worcester Professor Is Finding Out

WORCESTER, MA — A Worcester professor is testing whether artificial intelligence can help students in the classroom.

Hao Loi, a computer science professor at Quinsigamond Community College, is studying how an AI-assisted learning tool called "PyTutor" can affect first-generation college students and non-traditional learners. Loi found that the AI tool can help to level the playing field for students who may struggle with programming concepts.

“I have already heard from students that it makes them feel like they belong in the class and that they really can succeed," said Loi. "They are more willing to try things out and work through problems on their own."

PyTutor, which was created by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, guides students without giving away the answers and provides instant feedback on coding problems.

Loi's project examines how students used PyTutor in the school's Introduction to Python Programming course.

Loi is QCC’s 2025-2026 Scholar in Residence, which is a program that the school launched in 2022 to give faculty the chance to pursue research and integrate findings into the classroom.

"These kinds of opportunities are huge for teaching faculty like me," Loi said. "We don't always get a lot of time to step back and dig into a project or really explore something new in our teaching."

Loi plans to publish the results and hold monthly faculty workshops focused on integrating AI in education.

"When used thoughtfully, AI can make learning more accessible and more inclusive," said Loi. “But we have to stay focused on what is best for students."

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