EUGENE, Oregon. (KTVZ) — Oregon middle school students can now get a head start on choosing a career path thanks to a new tool powered by artificial intelligence and developed by a University of Oregon journalism professor.

Ed Madison, media professor and researcher in UOs Faculty of Journalism and Communicationcreated Sassy, ​​online career coach this was officially adopted by the state of Oregon. Sassy, ​​short for Sasquatch, a mythical creature thought to roam the forests of the Northwest, joins a collection of other AI technologies being developed by the United States. Journalism Learning InitiativeIt is a nonprofit organization co-founded by Madison dedicated to empowering students and teachers with educational programs and resources.

“AI allows us to do things like democratize tutoring so that families who can’t afford to hire a tutor or counselor can access that personalized coaching,” said Madison, the startup’s executive director.

The group has several AI guides for writing and story development; One of them is as follows: murrow It launched in 2023 and has provided feedback to 60,000 users in news journalism, Madison said. Sassy is the organization’s first career connection tool, providing students with guidance in brainstorming career and trade paths; writing emails, cover letters, and resumes; and we are preparing for interviews.

Sassy was developed in partnership with the Oregon Department of Education, the Southern Oregon Education Service District, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Game Labs in response to the need for students to begin career exploration earlier.

According to coordinator Beth Molenkamp, ​​nationwide studies have shown that earlier discussions about careers make core content classroom work more relevant, help students better plan for their futures, increase school attendance and improve students’ emotional and mental well-being. of the state Career-Related Learning program.

“We really wanted students in Oregon to see the wide variety of careers available to them, the outstanding postsecondary education opportunities available, and to support them in finding careers that fit their talents and interests right here in our state,” Molenkamp said. in an emailed statement. “We want them to see that Oregon is a great place for them to stay, learn and work. “Sassy uses employment data to keep students informed of the most in-demand careers.”

Developers said Sassy was trained in a set of career readiness documents and resources created by the state Department of Education. Stays up to date on Oregon’s job market and educational opportunities through real-time industry and agency reporting. It also doesn’t require or ask for personal data and has built-in guardrails to provide age-appropriate content.

Sassy is not meant to replace human advisors, Molenkamp said. Instead, he hopes students will use the chatbot to start conversations about career planning that they will continue in person with important adults in their lives.

“Our goal is to provide some relief to guidance counselors because we know the ratio of students to counselors is very high,” Madison said. “So if a student can do some preliminary work with Sassy, ​​print it out, and come to the mentoring session with what they have, it will make the session that much more valuable.”

Zach Knapp, a career and technical education teacher at Vale Middle School in Eastern Oregon, and his students were among the first to try Sassy earlier this year. He said he sees the platform providing a safe and conversational space where his students can comfortably ask any questions about their future careers.

With guardrails directing Sassy to avoid and discourage conversations about sensitive or personal topics, Knapp said she feels safe offering access to technology as a teacher.

“This tool gives them the opportunity to ask the questions they were afraid to ask me or their parents, and it’s smart enough to give them smart answers and solid advice, which I think is the most amazing thing about it,” Knapp said.

Knapp plans to incorporate Sassy into her future curriculum to help middle school students get a jump start on career planning. High school is where kids get some of their first opportunities to think about and decide about their educational careers, and I want to help them understand that those choices can have a very real and significant impact on what happens next. after high school.”

“I want people to know that it is entirely possible for kids this age to have serious conversations and thoughts about what their future might be,” Knapp said. “With a tool like Sassy, ​​along with the state’s other resources, we can make an impact in helping every student get through public education by understanding why it’s what they need, rather than just going through the process of graduating.”

Madison said the development team is working to make Sassy more accessible and useful to students and communities of varying socioeconomic status. They also plan to expand and localize similar AI career coaches to different states.

“I am grateful that we live in a forward-thinking country,” Madison said. “There’s a frontier spirit to Oregon that I love and that drew me to wanting to live here. We’re open to exploration, and I think that’s the essence of UO and the state. Therefore, we can proudly say that we are leading the country in the adoption of such technologies.”

— Written by Leila Okhata, University Communications

About the University of Oregon School of Journalism and Communication
Founded in 1916, the University of Oregon School of Journalism and Communication is a national leader in scholarship and education in advertising, journalism, media studies, public relations and strategic communications. The school offers doctoral, master’s and undergraduate programs that challenge students to become ethical communicators, critical thinkers, productive scholars and responsible citizens in a global society. Award-winning faculty members of the School of Journalism and Communication contribute to innovative research and professional projects that shape the field in the evolving media environment.