Call for Participation

Small language models (SLMs) are open-weight language models with fewer than 10 billion parameters (as we define them) that can be locally deployed or cheaply hosted. As more model providers release smaller, more efficient models, and as the research community develops better techniques for fine-tuning and deploying these models, SLMs are emerging as a promising alternative to large language models (LLMs) for educational applications.

We invite researchers, educators, and industry professionals from the AIED, EDM, and L@S communities (as well as sister communities such as Learning Analytics, Educational Data Science, and Human-Computer Interaction) to submit their original, unpublished work on small language models in educational settings. We are looking for submissions that address, but are not limited to, the following themes:

• Pedagogical frameworks and instructional design for SLM-based interventions
• Methodologies for evaluating and fine-tuning SLMs using educational data
• Scalability and infrastructure design for deploying SLMs in large-scale settings
• Privacy, equity, and accessibility considerations of SLMs vs. LLMs
• Innovative applications (e.g., knowledge tracing, question generation, or adaptive feedback)
• Comparative studies of SLMs and LLMs in educational contexts

Accepted submissions will be presented as Lightning Talks (5 minutes + Q&A) or as Posters at the workshop. Attendees will also actively participate in cross-community speed dating and collaborative synthesis sessions to draft a white paper outlining a shared research agenda for SLMs in education.

Submission Guidelines

We invite submissions for research papers (5-7 pages, excluding appendices and references) that describe ongoing research, recent advancements, or challenges related to SLMs in education. If accepted, a paper will be presented as either a Lightning Talk or a Poster at the workshop.

• Format: Submissions must be formatted using the standard CEUR-WS template.
• Anonymity: Reviewing will be double-blind. Submissions must be properly anonymized.
• Submission Portal: Please submit your papers via our EasyChair Submission Link.

All accepted papers will be compiled into the workshop proceedings. Proceedings shall be submitted to CEUR-WS.org for online publication.

Organizing Committee

• Yumou Wei (Carnegie Mellon University)
• Steven Moore (George Mason University)
• Paulo F. Carvalho (Carnegie Mellon University)
• John Stamper (Carnegie Mellon University)
• Christopher Brooks (University of Michigan)
• Michael Liut (University of Toronto Mississauga)

Contact

All questions about submissions should be emailed to the workshop chair: Yumou Wei