Dr. Wanli Xing is a full Professor in School of Education and Human Development and Core Faculty member in Frost Institute for Data Science and Computing at the University of Miami, and the Director of the Advanced Computing for Education Lab. His research themes are:

• Explore and leverage educational big data in various forms and modalities to advance the understanding of learning processes;
• Design and develop responsible and transparent AI, large language models, and learning analytics powered learning environments;
• Create innovative strategies, frameworks, and technologies for AI, Data Science, and Computing Workforce development.

With these interrelated themes, he aims to push the fundamental limits of AIED and learning analytics to revolutionize STEM and online education. His research has been supported by National Science Foundation, Institute of Education Sciences, Office of Naval Research, National Institute of Standards and Technology, National Security Agency, Schmidt Family Foundation, Gates Foundation, Helios Education Foundation, Florida Department of Education and the University of Florida. Dr. Xing directs the ACE lab, standing for Advanced Computing for Education.

 

Welcoming Dr. Wanli Xing to UM | by Lauren Comander

Professor Wanli Xing, a nationally recognized researcher working at the intersection of artificial intelligence, data science and education, joins the University of Miami this year with a joint appointment with IDSC and the School of Education and Human Development (SEHD).

The appeal of a joint appointment is both intellectual and practical, a place where advanced computing meets real-world classrooms and communities. “It’s an excellent fit because it lets me leverage expertise across both areas,” Dr. Xing said.

A major draw was IDSC’s supercomputing resources and research infrastructure. “I’m looking forward to having my research group access resources here for AI development and related work,” he said.

Location mattered, too. “Miami is a major metropolitan area so there are more opportunities, not only for collaboration within the University but also for entrepreneurship, business partnerships, and school district collaborations,” he said.

“The medical school here is very strong,
and I’m excited about opportunities
to collaborate across disciplines.”

Dr. Xing, who previously served in leadership roles supporting engineering education programs at the University of Florida, looks forward to expanding interdisciplinary work at the University of Miami. “I haven’t broken into the medical world yet, but the medical school here is very strong, and I’m excited about opportunities to collaborate across disciplines,” he said. “IDSC is a great platform for that.”

Building Large Language Models for Education

Dr. Xing’s long-term goal is to build education-specific large language models designed with schools and students in mind.

He notes that general-purpose tools like ChatGPT can be powerful but have limitations in educational settings. They can function as “black boxes,” become costly at scale (especially when supporting large numbers of students), and raise privacy concerns depending on how data is handled and how systems behave in different learning contexts.

“For certain educational scenarios, especially with kids, you can’t just rely on generic prompting and hope the models behave exactly as needed,” he said. “You want to build models that are more controlled, more transparent, and potentially cheaper. Not everything needs a very large model. Some tasks can use smaller, lower-cost models.”

Three Pillars of a Research Program

Dr. Xing describes his work as three interconnected areas. First, he designs, develops, and tests AI tools that directly support learning. One of his flagship projects is ALTER-Math, which stands for AI-augmented Learning by Teaching to Enhance and Renovate Math Learning. Grounded in the well-established idea that one of the best ways to learn is to teach, the program essentially turns middle schoolers into math teachers. Instead of positioning an AI agent as an all-knowing tutor, ALTER-Math introduces an AI agent more like a peer, one who needs help from the students. “This process helps reinforce and deepen their mathematical understanding,” Dr. Xing said. ALTER-Math has reached students across Florida, and Dr. Xing is in talks to bring the program to Broward County students.

Second, Dr. Xing uses large-scale educational data to analyze learning behaviors and learning processes. Education is increasingly data-rich, he said, as learning platforms capture information such as posts, videos watched, interactions, and discussion participation. By applying learning analytics and data mining methods in both online and in-person classes, Dr. Xing aims to generate insights that strengthen theory-driven learning science and contribute to the next wave of generative education.

Third, his work in STEM and computing workforce development connects the first two. Dr. Xing builds tools for teaching advanced topics and helps design innovative programs that introduce students to AI, data science, microelectronics, and other emerging technologies. He approaches this work as a learning scientist, developing strategies and experiences that make complex technical subjects more accessible. “We’ve explored approaches like reverse engineering to come up with new ways students can learn about advanced technological areas,” he said.

His research has been supported by multiple funders, including the NSF, Department of Education, Department of Defense, NIST, the Florida Department of Education, and various private foundations.

Teaching, Mentoring, and Building a Team

Dr. Xing will teach courses on AI in education and leads an active research team that includes postdoctoral scholars, Ph.D. students, and an AI engineer. He brought some team members with him from the University of Florida and plans to hire additional researchers. “Postdocs and Ph.D. graduates from my lab have gone on to tenure-track faculty roles at many different universities,” he said.

Life in South Florida—and a Streak of Championship Luck

Outside the lab, Dr. Xing is settling into South Florida and building a new routine. He lives in Pembroke Pines with his wife and two sons, 5 and 7. While he’s still adjusting to the traffic, he said he’s enjoying the perks of city life. “Miami has culture, sports, museums, and lots of activities,” he said. “Outside of work, my life mostly revolves around the kids.”

When he has time to unwind, he heads to the beach. He also loves swimming and playing basketball. Dr. Xing, who also enjoys watching sports, jokingly notes a pattern. While he was at Texas Tech and the University of Florida, both basketball teams advanced to the national championship game. After arriving in Miami, he was thrilled to watch his new hometown team play in the championship football game.

“They all made history while I was there!” he said.

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