Dr. Farah Bennani, Dean of Math, Science, and Engineering at Elgin Community College, embodies the mission of the BRIDGE Coalition through her unwavering commitment to advancing education that drives meaningful outcomes for students and educators alike. With a focus on fostering critical thinking and connecting classroom learning to real-world applications, Dr. Bennani’s innovative approach reflects our belief in the transformative power of research-backed, thoughtfully designed educational solutions. Her work not only inspires her students – it empowers learners and educators to achieve academic and career success. To hear her thoughts on student success and the role of AI in learning, here are 5 questions with Dr. Farah Bennani. 

Farah Bennani, Ph.D. 

Dean of Math, Science & Engineering 

Elgin Community College  

Q: What, in your opinion, is the single most important factor in determining student success in your classroom?

A: "The single most important determinant of student success is the cultivation of intellectual agency, the student’s capacity to see themselves as an active architect of knowledge rather than a passive recipient of information. When educators intentionally design environments that nurture curiosity, inclusion, and metacognitive awareness, students develop resilience and the ability to navigate complexity with purpose and confidence."

Q: What’s the biggest barrier to student success or learning that you’ve observed in your teaching?

A: "The greatest barrier to student success lies in the disjunction between access, engagement, and readiness. While technology has expanded and democratized access to content, it has not necessarily cultivated the intellectual readiness required for deep learning. Many students enter the classroom equipped with information but lack the metacognitive, organizational, and self-regulatory skills to transform that information into understanding. This often leads to cognitive overload and fragmented engagement. Overcoming this challenge demands pedagogical designs that intentionally build learner readiness—through scaffolding, reflective practice, and formative feedback so that students are not only prepared to access knowledge but also to navigate, interpret, and apply it meaningfully." 

Q: If you could guarantee every student one resource for success, what would it be?

A: "If I could guarantee every student one resource for success, it would be equitable access to personalized, adaptive learning environments that combine human mentorship with intelligent technology. Platforms can exemplify this integration by using data-driven insights to identify individual strengths, knowledge gaps, and learning patterns in real time. This adaptive scaffolding not only personalizes the learning journey but also empowers students to engage more deeply, self-regulate their progress, and develop confidence through mastery-based learning. When coupled with compassionate academic guidance, such systems transform the educational experience from prescriptive instruction to precision learning — a model that honors the uniqueness of every learner while advancing educational equity and excellence."

Q: If AI could solve one problem in your classroom tomorrow, what would you want to tackle?

A: "I would leverage AI to close the feedback gap, the temporal and interpretive distance between student effort and meaningful, data-informed guidance. Intelligent systems capable of interpreting engagement patterns, cognitive load, and learning behaviors could generate real-time, individualized feedback that amplifies the human dimension of teaching rather than replacing it. Such technology would transform feedback from a retrospective evaluation into a proactive, formative dialogue, helping students develop metacognitive awareness and academic resilience. Ultimately, AI’s greatest value lies in its potential to humanize learning through precision, timeliness, and empathy-driven responsiveness." 

Q: What is the most effective use of AI that you’ve seen in your classroom or in your teaching practices?

A: "The most effective application of AI, in my experience, has been through the integration of predictive learning analytics, adaptive assessment platforms, and AI-embedded learning tools.  I encourage students to use generative AI tools as part of their discussion topics, prompting them to analyze, critique, and ethically refine AI-generated ideas within academic contexts. To ensure depth and responsibility, I provide clear rubrics that guide students in evaluating credibility, bias, and scholarly integrity. By doing so, I intentionally teach AI literacy—helping students understand how to interact critically and responsibly with emerging technologies. When used thoughtfully, AI becomes a pedagogical collaborator that cultivates reflective, informed, and future-ready learners."