Bridging the Gap: Using Khanmigo to Empower a Nursing Student in Biostatistics
Bridging the Gap: Using Khanmigo to Empower a Nursing Student in Biostatistics
Lufei Young
As a graduate nursing faculty member, one of the most rewarding aspects of my role is supporting students through academic challenges.
This past semester, I worked closely with a student who was struggling in her Biostatistics course. She had a solid foundation
in clinical nursing practice but was finding it incredibly difficult to grasp statistical concepts. Despite her best efforts, she was earning a D and was at risk of failing the course which is a requirement for her graduate program.
During our early tutoring sessions, I realized that the traditional language of statistics did not resonate with her. I tried using clinical analogies, connecting statistical concepts to nursing practice, but even then, her understanding was limited. It became clear that I
needed a different strategy to bridge the gap between theory and application in a way that made sense to her.
That’s when I turned to Khanmigo, the AI-powered tutoring assistant developed by Khan Academy.
I had been experimenting with it myself to explore innovative teaching tools and thought it might offer a new approach to simplify the material. I began entering my
tutoring session notes and lesson plans into Khanmigo, asking it to rephrase the content using everyday language.
The transformation was immediate! Khanmigo provided simplified explanations that she understood, and our tutoring sessions became much more productive. We both began enjoying learning together.
I used these AI-enhanced explanations in our weekly tutoring sessions, and I saw a shift
in the student’s engagement. She became more confident and began to ask deeper
questions.
By the end of the semester, the student raised her grade from a failing to a passing
grade, a significant improvement allowing her to progress in her graduate program.
More importantly, she reported that she was no longer afraid of statistics.
This experience reminded me that faculty must be adaptive and resourceful, especially
when traditional teaching methods fall short. Tools like Khanmigo don’t replace the human connection in tutoring, but they can enhance our ability to meet students where
they are. By combining compassionate, individualized support with the simplifying power of AI, I was able to help this student overcome a major academic hurdle and she walked away not only passing the course but also empowered with new confidence in her abilities.