Abstract: The increasing power of computers in education drove the evolution of one-size-fits-all computer-assisted instruction systems to intelligent tutoring systems that offer individualized learning experiences. The emergence of Generative Artificial Intelligence, particularly large language models, has enabled a new era of intelligent tutoring. This paper presents a practical approach to building an SQL tutor using a Generative Artificial Intelligence chatbot, demonstrating how instructors can easily leverage Generative Artificial Intelligence to deliver personalized, context-aware instruction. Through carefully engineered prompts, the tutor guides students with adaptive feedback, mimicking the behavior of a skilled human instructor. We detail the design process, share student interaction data, and evaluate the tutor’s effectiveness based on survey responses and comparative performance analysis. Our findings suggest that Generative Artificial Intelligence-based tutors can significantly enhance learning outcomes and offer scalable, low-cost solutions for educators. In addition to presenting complete details of and experience with a tutor for a specific topic, the paper provides guidance for instructors to leverage the underlying framework to develop domain-specific Generative Artificial Intelligence-enabled tutors for other topics, thereby contributing to the growing body of research on AI-enhanced education.

Keywords: Large language model (LLM), Generative AI in education, Intelligent tutoring system (ITS)

Download This Article: JISE2026v37n2pp167-183.pdf

Recommended Citation: Viswanathan, V., Weitz, R., & Rosenthal, D. (2026). Teaching Tip: Generative AI in Education: Building Intelligent Tutors With Large Language Models. Journal of Information Systems Education, 37(2), 167-183. https://doi.org/10.62273/COCJ8767