AI robot trains teachers to handle heated issues

Researchers at La Trobe University are employing an AI-driven social robot called Fletch to prepare teachers for handling difficult conversations with parents in schools. Fletch, which mimics a disgruntled parent, allows teachers to rehearse intense situations before encountering them in their professional lives. The robot is programmed to adopt personas from real-life scenarios, such as a parent concerned about their child's grades or a parent contesting a child's suspension.

By interacting with Fletch, trainee teachers can practice de-escalation techniques, build confidence, and gain the clarity of messaging needed to manage challenging interactions in a safe and non-threatening environment. The initiative aims to address work-related violence and aggression in Australian schools, which has become a significant occupational health and safety crisis.

Fletch will initially be used to train preservice teachers at La Trobe, but the researchers hope to expand the project to train existing staff in several Victorian schools.