成人直播

KENNESAW, Ga. | Jul 22, 2026

成人直播 assistant professor Sagnik Dakshit, of the , has earned a Texas Innovator's Award for developing an artificial intelligence-powered platform that supports student success.

He received the honor for creating VTA, or Virtual Teaching Assistant, a tool designed to provide personalized academic support while helping instructors improve learning outcomes.

The annual Texas Innovator's Awards recognize faculty members, researchers, and entrepreneurs whose innovations demonstrate significant potential to solve real-world challenges through groundbreaking research and technology. Dakshit earned the honor while serving as a faculty member at the University of Texas at Tyler.

For Dakshit, who joined Kennesaw State in spring 2026, the recognition is especially meaningful because it reflects the impact his work can have on students and

"It means a lot to me because the work is contributing to students' learning and outcomes," Dakshit said. "As educators, our primary goal is to understand how we can address our students' needs, make their learning more efficient, and help them have successful careers."

CCSE Dean Darryl Ahner said the recognition reflects both Dakshit's innovative research and its potential to improve higher education.

"This work demonstrates how Kennesaw State faculty are developing innovative technologies that address real-world challenges while improving lives," Ahner said. "VTA has the potential to transform how universities support students by combining responsible artificial intelligence with personalized learning. This effort illustrates how Kennesaw State continues to be a leader in AI education and research in the country with its bachelor鈥檚, master鈥檚, and Ph.D. research in artificial intelligence.鈥�

Dakshit developed VTA as generative AI tools became more common in higher education. Rather than relying on information gathered across the internet, the platform provides answers using only course materials uploaded and approved by instructors.

"I talked to students about the problems they were facing and how they were using tools like ChatGPT," Dakshit said. "We realized students needed answers outside normal office hours, but we also wanted to make sure those answers came from materials their faculty members had approved."

Integrated with a university's learning management system, VTA gives students around-the-clock access to course-specific support, while reducing the risk of misinformation often associated with public AI tools.

Beyond answering questions, the platform helps instructors identify concepts students struggle to understand. By analyzing trends in student conversations, VTA can highlight topics that may need additional explanation and help universities identify students who may be disengaging before they fall behind.

"If half the students in a class are asking about the same topic, there may be something about that topic that needs more attention," Dakshit said. "That information is important to the educator because it shows where we may need to explain a concept differently or provide more examples."

Dakshit said the technology is designed to support educators. He encourages students to use artificial intelligence responsibly while emphasizing that they remain accountable for verifying the accuracy of AI-generated information.

"AI is not here to replace us," he said. "It is about finding the points where AI and humans work well together."

The platform was initially developed with support from an internal grant at UT Tyler before expanding into pilot studies across multiple courses. Student feedback has been one of the most rewarding parts of the project, Dakshit said.

"The tool was built for the students," he said. "If the platform helps students and they are interested in coming back to it, there cannot be a better reward than that."

Since joining Kennesaw State, Dakshit has continued expanding the technology and is exploring opportunities to integrate an enhanced version with Desire2Learn, particularly in introductory and online courses. Future versions could also provide personalized academic guidance by recommending coursework aligned with students' career goals and analyzing their resumes.

Although universities continue to navigate questions surrounding artificial intelligence, privacy, and adoption, Dakshit believes thoughtfully designed AI tools can strengthen education while keeping instructors at the center of the learning experience.

"VTA is the pilot for the bigger possibilities that are still to come," he said. "We are only at the starting point."

Story by Raynard Churchwell

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A leader in innovative teaching and learning, 成人直播 offers undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral degrees to its more than 51,000 students. Kennesaw State is a member of the University System of Georgia with 11 academic colleges. The university's vibrant campus culture, diverse population, strong global ties, and entrepreneurial spirit draw students from throughout the country and the world. Kennesaw State is a Carnegie-designated doctoral research institution (R2), placing it among an elite group of only 8 percent of U.S. colleges and universities with an R1 or R2 status. For more information, visit kennesaw.edu.