Limitation & Future Plan

Although StudyNest addresses the problem of AI over-reliance in student learning, there are still several limitations in our current design. 

One limitation is that our prototype is not fully functional. While the interface shows how users would interact with the AI Tutor, planner, progress tracker, and Canvas integration, these features are not connected to real course data or a working AI system. Because of this, we could only test the flow, layout, and concept rather than the accuracy of the AI responses or long-term learning outcomes. 

Another limitation is that our usability testing was conducted with a small group of INFO 360 students. Since our participants were mostly college students familiar with design and technology, their feedback may not represent all university students. Students from different majors, learning styles, or comfort levels with AI may experience StudyNest differently. 

Our design also makes some assumptions about users. For example, we assumed that students are willing to connect their academic data through Canvas and that they want AI support to gradually decrease as they improve. However, some students may prefer more direct answers, while others may have privacy concerns about sharing coursework, grades, or progress data with an AI-powered platform. 

A major trade-off our team accepted was balancing guidance and convenience. StudNest is designed to avoid giving answers too quickly, but this could feel slower for students who want immediate help. We chose to prioritize deeper learning and critical thinking, even though this may require more time and effort from users. 

In the future, StudyNest could be improved by making the Canvas integration clearer and more transparent. The platform should explain what data is being used, why it is needed, and how it supports personalized learning. We would also improve the onboarding process so first-time users better understand how the AI Tutor, adaptive support levels, and progress tracking work. 

If we had more time, we would also integrate an actual AI system into the Tutor Chat so users could test real responses instead of only interacting with a prototype. This would help us evaluate whether the AI gives useful hints, explains concepts clearly, and adjusts support based on the student's progress. We would also conduct longer usability testing with students from different majors and academic backgrounds to understand whether StudyNest works across different subjects, not just problem-solving classes. Future versions could include stronger personalization, mobile support, group study features, and clearer feedback when users are struggling. 

Overall, StudyNest has potential as a responsible AI learning platform, but future iterations would need more testing, better transparency, and stronger technical implementation to fully support students in real academic settings.