Education professor builds AI tool for teachers
Tim Lemberger
Jeremy Riel, an assistant professor in the College of Education, is developing SkillTree, a prototype AI-enabled platform designed to help teachers give timely feedback to students.
Introduction
Technological innovation continues to reshape education at every level. The rapid growth of AI has expedited the need for tools that will support teachers. Jeremy Riel, an assistant professor in the College of Education, is pursuing that challenge.
Riel received a grant from the Institute of Education Sciences — the research arm of the U.S. Department of Education — to lead a new effort to transform how teachers support student learning using AI, without replacing the human expertise at the heart of teaching. Riel is the director of the Teaching and Research with AI Learning (TRAILblazer) Lab at UIC.
Modified on March 18, 2026