What is agent-based modeling, and why does it matter for students and educators in the age of AI? Professor Uri Wilensky, 2025 Yidan Prize for Education Research Laureate, has the answer.

"Because ABMs are composed of simple agents and rules, and their assumptions are visible, students can change those assumptions and see how the behavior of the model changes," Uri explains in an interview with Rick Hess, author of Education Week’s Rick Hess Straight Up. This helps students understand and explain the real world.

"Our approach engages students in thinking and reasoning about models. This is a very active use of their brains. This is aligned with my belief that, in order to prepare students for a complex world, we should be teaching students to use their own reasoning and creativity to solve complex problems," he adds.

Read the full interview published on Education Week on 13 January 2026.