In a course where students work with complex topics over the semester, the instructor sets up a number of ChatTutor agents, each with a distinct response style. Some agents provide short, direct answers, while others offer more detailed explanations or guide students step by step through the reasoning.

The agents are introduced early in the course as different ways of approaching the same question or problem. Students use them throughout the semester when engaging with difficult material. For example, they may compare how different agents respond to the same question, choose the type of explanation that helps them most, or discuss the differences in groups.

The instructor also brings selected responses into the classroom and uses them as a basis for discussion and reflection. Students may, for instance, be asked to evaluate which response supports understanding best, and why.

Over time, this approach increases engagement, particularly around challenging topics, and helps students become more aware of different ways of explaining, reasoning, and understanding. It also highlights that ChatTutor does not function as a neutral tool: how the agents are designed and how they are used in teaching directly shapes the learning process.

This approach can be adapted across subjects by designing agents with different roles, levels of explanation, or ways of guiding the student.