MIS Student Riyan Mohammed Builds AI Tutor FastLRN, Debuts in NIU Business Classes

While working as a graduate teaching assistant this fall, student Riyan Mohammed overheard Professor Karah Osterberg mention that her UBUS 223 test results were lower than she expected.

“When I asked why, she explained that many students were completing their homework by simply copying answers from AI tools, without actually learning the concepts,” said Mohammed, who is earning his master’s degree in management information systems. “That moment stuck with me. It made me realize that while AI can be powerful, it was being used the wrong way, as a shortcut instead of a study partner.”

That conversation inspired Mohammed to build FastLRN, an AI education platform now used by about 300 students and seven instructors in NIU’s Department of Operations Management and Information Systems (OM&IS).

“From a university’s perspective, AI use is still a gray area. Not all instructors trust it, and they have valid reasons,” Mohammed said. “AI doesn’t have full classroom context; it can easily generate wrong answers, and most tools aren’t designed for education.”

He designed FastLRN to guide students toward concepts rather than simply providing answers. “I started with a very simple version of a product with just enough features to support one course,” he said. “I gave access to a few instructors and students and kept an open line of communication. I’d constantly ask what was working, what wasn’t and what would make the experience more useful. Based on their feedback, I kept building, testing and refining.”

FastLRN is customized for each class and uses role-based access, allowing users to log in as instructors or students. Professors can create courses and upload materials directly in their dashboards.

“One of the biggest challenges was balancing the needs of both instructors and students,” he said. “I had to make sure it provided structure and control for instructors while keeping the experience engaging and helpful for students.”

Mohammed works closely with instructors to monitor performance and improve the AI.

“Right now, I’m personally reaching out to instructors, and some reach out to me to get them set up with instructor accounts and onboarded into FastLRN,” he said.

Faculty are already seeing positive results from FastLRN in their classes.

“FastLRN has the potential to become the best teaching companion for professors and at the same time the best learning companion for the students,” said Biagio Palese, associate professor in OM&IS.

“In 10 years, I believe AI will be incorporated into every educational institution in the world, but with FastLRN, that future starts today,” Mohammed said.

To learn more about NIU’s MIS program, visit go.niu.edu/MIS.