Building an AI tutor for Financial Management

Three goals shaped the build

01

Stay inside the course

Use approved material, course language and explicit learning objectives.

02

Make students act

Ask them to explain, calculate and interpret—not only request an answer.

03

Preserve judgment

Let AI create dialogue while the student still owns the recommendation.

The design aim is not frictionless help. It is useful practice with feedback.

Why build this when NotebookLM already exists?

A grounded question-and-answer interface using course material

Grounded Q&A on the course website

NOTEBOOKLM, IN BRIEF

Google’s tool can answer from uploaded sources and create study aids, quizzes and explanations.

WHAT THIS COURSE TUTOR ADDS

The sequence is fixed by the course design
Finance calculations are checked by code
Progress is stored by course topic
An optional case adds a decision task

The difference is how the activity is structured and connected to the course.

The tutor combines flexible dialogue with fixed rules

LANGUAGE MODEL

Flexible dialogue

Explains and rephrases
Asks follow-up questions
Plays case characters
Assesses written reasoning

course context + checks

↔︎

dialogue + assessment

COURSE DESIGN

Learning path

Topics · levels · question order · what counts as sufficient · sources

CODE

Checks and progress

Calculations · saved progress · next-step rules · case numbers

The model provides flexibility. The teacher and the code provide boundaries.

How the tutor responds to a student’s answer

TEACHER-DEFINED LEVELS

define→explain→calculate→interpret→apply

PASSnext objective

PARTIALfocused follow-up

FAILexplanation and scaffold

Not every concept needs every level. The course designer chooses the path.

Guided tutor showing chapter progress, a student response and the next question

The course sets the path; the model handles the conversation.

The case adds another level: deciding

Corporate-finance case simulation with stakeholder dialogue and live financial constraints

MODELplays the stakeholders

CODEkeeps the financial situation consistent

STUDENTmakes and defends a recommendation

The same course concepts are used in a less structured decision.

How this could support teaching

BEFORE CLASS

Practice with feedback

Students explain, calculate and encounter the case.

→

IN CLASS

Work on the difficult parts

Use examples, misconceptions, discussion and decisions.

→

AFTER CLASS

Follow up where needed

Progress and responses show where more practice may be needed.

More feedback between sessions · more class time for applied problems · better information about where students struggle

Where we are now—and what happens next

IMPLEMENTED

Course-grounded Q&A
115 guided curriculum steps
Code-checked calculations
Saved progression
Optional case simulation

STILL TO LEARN

Will students use it?
Where does friction help—or frustrate?
Does it improve understanding?
How should teaching time change?

FALL 2026

Introduce it in the course · follow use and progression
ask students what helps · review exam results with care

We will start by seeing how students use it,
then adjust the tutor and the course.