Small Language Models for Education: Opportunities, Challenges, and a Shared Research Agenda

Small language models (SLMs) are emerging as a promising alternative to large language models for educational applications. This workshop aims to explore the potential of SLMs in education, focusing on their unique advantages and the challenges they present. By bringing together researchers from the AIED, EDM, and L@S communities, we hope to foster interdisciplinary collaboration and identify new research directions that leverage the strengths of each community to improve learning outcomes. The expected results of the workshop include a comprehensive understanding of the current state of small language models, the identification of key research challenges and opportunities, and the development of a shared research agenda that guides future work.