Oracle Academy Faculty Day: Practical AI for Teaching and Research with Databases
Oracle Academy hosted a focused webinar on February 12, 2026 for nearly 200 educators across Asia Pacific and prospective members exploring Oracle Academy resources. The session zeroed in on practical ways to bring AI into database coursework and research with clear, classroom-ready methods. Welcome remarks were provided by Damian Haas, Oracle Academy JAPAC Regional Director.
What educators came to learn
The agenda concentrated on using generative AI responsibly in teaching and research, and how to integrate AI features into database-driven courses. Educators saw how Oracle Academy resources map to real projects and assessments, so students practice with current tools and data.
From natural-language queries to governed AI
Kalyan Lalam, Master Principal Solution Engineer, Oracle Cloud Engineering, introduced AI features mapped to Oracle Academy's database curriculum, including Applied Database Systems using Oracle AI Database. He showed Select AI in Oracle Autonomous Database-letting users ask questions in natural language while the database generates and runs SQL or explains results. He also noted integrations with OCI Generative AI, OpenAI, and Azure OpenAI.
A core theme was RAG (Retrieval Augmented Generation). Since general LLMs may miss current internal data and produce confident but wrong answers, RAG retrieves relevant content from your database or document store and adds it to the prompt. The advantage: up-to-date responses without fine-tuning on sensitive datasets, which supports security and policy controls.
The session covered Oracle AI Vector Search as well. Separate vector databases can create sync gaps and extra security work. Running vector search in the primary database simplifies operations and keeps data policy in one place.
Finally, Kalyan highlighted Data Studio for end-to-end data work: discovery and cataloging, loading and transformation, analysis, and sharing. It includes AI assistance, PII detection, and governed sharing through Delta Sharing and Cloud Links. The takeaway was clear: a thoughtful data strategy-sources, movement, access, sharing rules, and PII-sets the stage for trusted analytics and AI adoption.
Classroom-ready AI resources you can use now
Jian Li, Oracle Academy Principal Instructor, walked through fresh ways AI is entering the classroom through Oracle Academy. He revisited the database pathway and highlighted free resources available via Oracle APEX, Oracle Autonomous Database on OCI, SQL Developer, Data Modeler, Live SQL, and MySQL.
He also showcased AI-focused learning available through a dedicated Artificial Intelligence filter in the Member Hub catalog. Offerings include Education Bytes, workshops, and hands-on activities using Oracle Red Bull Racing data and Oracle Analytics Cloud, along with full courses such as AI with Machine Learning in Java and Applied Database Systems.
A featured workshop demonstrated embedding Generative AI in an APEX app. It introduced RAG and showed how a defined data source-like an autonomous database-can return grounded natural-language responses. A digital assistant style chatbot was configured to answer only topic-specific questions, keeping outputs on-task and classroom-safe.
Action steps for faculty
- Log in to the Oracle Academy Member Hub and use the Artificial Intelligence filter to find current courses, workshops, and Education Bytes.
- Run a quick pilot with Select AI: ask natural-language questions on a sample dataset, then review the generated SQL with students.
- Prototype a small RAG workflow using course documents stored in Autonomous Database to show grounded answers without model fine-tuning.
- Test vector search inside the database vs. a separate vector store and compare operational overhead and security controls.
- Document a data governance checklist for your program: sources, movement, access roles, sharing boundaries, and PII handling.
- Use the APEX workshop to build a topic-bounded chatbot that supports a specific course module.
- Incorporate Oracle Analytics Cloud with Oracle Red Bull Racing sample data for an assessment on exploratory analysis and AI-assisted insights.
Why this session matters
This Oracle Academy Faculty Day connected data governance, generative AI, vector search, RAG, and curriculum design into one clear story. For faculty already using Oracle Academy content, it was a timely update. For teams planning next term's syllabus, it offered concrete projects you can adopt immediately.
Not yet a member of Oracle Academy? Join Oracle Academy to access curriculum, platforms, and workshops mentioned in this session.
Want a structured plan to bring AI into your teaching across subjects? Explore the AI Learning Path for Teachers for practical steps, templates, and classroom use cases.
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