Apply to test the Rolai platform

Technology-enhanced Learning and Online Strategies (TLOS) invites teaching faculty to participate in a limited test of Rolai, a generative AI platform tailored for higher education. Rolai is approved for student use and offers unlimited access to multiple leading generative AI models, integrates with Canvas, and leverages generative AI to assist with and streamline course management and teaching.

Because this is a pilot to evaluate Rolai, there is no promise of continued access to the platform after the pilot ends in June 2026.

This pilot is separate from the ChatGPT Edu pilot and the Microsoft 365 Copilot AI tool trial.

Eligibility

To be eligible, faculty must meet the following conditions:

• Be a full-time faculty member who teaches graduates or undergraduates regularly. 

• Teach a for-credit course in fall 2025 or spring 2026.

• Commit to participating in monthly one-hour professional development sessions provided by Rolai. (Participants can schedule one-on-one professional development and support sessions if they are unable to attend the monthly live session.) 

Rolai Features

Selected participants will be encouraged to test Rolai’s features, including:

• Multiple models: Select from a variety of generative AI models, e.g.,Open AI (GPT-4o, o1, o3-mini), Perplexity, Google (Gemini), Meta (Llama), Anthropic (Claude), and Mistral.

  • Rolai’s built-in model is optimized for retrieval-augmented generation (RAG). This model excels at retrieving information from provided documents or resources.

  • Some models can reference Canvas in chats, enabling actions to be taken in Canvas from within a chat.

• Canvas integration:  Build custom agents and workflows, using a workflow builder to pull and leverage your course materials, assignments, and more with AI models.

• Embedded prompt library: Draw on a curated library of pre-made, customizable prompts, write unique prompts, or create categorized prompt libraries that students with Rolai access can use.

• Agents: Create, engage with, and share specialized instances of fine-tuned AI models. Agents are aware of content in a Canvas course (e.g., modules, announcements, and discussion boards).

• Workflow builder: Use a drag-and-drop interface to create workflows that can take actions in Canvas using custom agents or AI models.

• Knowledge base: Group and organize conversations, for example, by course name and number.

• Save/export AI responses: Export conversations to Word documents or PDFs and export embedded tables in conversations to Excel.

See Rolai’s website for more features and information.

Benefits

• Participants will receive temporary access to Rolai at no cost. This includes access to monthly professional development and support sessions from Rolai and the opportunity to receive additional support or assistance with use cases.

• Rolai is approved for student use. For the pilot, student participation is limited to courses with up to 30 students in either fall 2025 or spring 2026.

Requirements

Selected participants agree to:

• Attend an initial Kickoff and Welcome Session with Rolai (in June or November).

• Attend monthly one-hour professional development sessions.

  • Faculty teaching in fall 2025 will attend monthly professional development provided by Rolai from June to December 2025.

  • Faculty teaching in spring 2026 will attend monthly sessions from November 2025 to April 2026.

• Provide feedback via surveys or interviews and help coordinate the collection of student feedback (estimated 1-2 hours).

Selection Criteria

Participation is limited to 20 instructors (10 each for fall 2025 and spring 2026). TLOS will consider the following criteria when selecting participants: 

• Instructors must be willing to use Rolai and have their students use Rolai in one course with up to 30 students in either fall 2025 or spring 2026.

• Instructors teaching large courses must be willing to use Rolai to explore course design and preparation. (No student licenses.)

• Participants should represent a broad range of disciplines. Preference will be given to applications that propose using Rolai to enhance the teaching of discipline-specific topics as opposed to teaching generative AI as a topic of study.

• Instructors should have prior experience using generative AI and an empirical mindset towards testing generative AI tools to improve teaching and learning.

• Preference will be given to applications that demonstrate innovative uses of generative AI in Canvas courses, either to enhance student learning outcomes or streamline course management practices.

Apply

To apply, complete the Rolai application form (login to a Virginia Tech Google account is required) by April 25, 2025. Selected participants will be notified by May 9, 2025.

For questions or additional information, contact TLOS at tlos@vt.edu.