Global education nonprofit Digital Promise has been awarded a $9,999,825 grant by the Institute of Education Sciences (IES) to launch and lead the Using Generative Artificial Intelligence for Reading R&D Center (U-GAIN Reading), a research and development hub that will investigate how to use generative artificial intelligence (AI) to improve elementary school reading instruction for English learners (ELs). One hundred percent of the total cost of the project will be funded by IES.
U-GAIN Reading’s focus on ELs responds to an important policy goal at the U.S. Department of Education and in most states and districts. Only 33% of ELs meet the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) Basic reading level—whereas 67% of all fourth-grade students reach this level. Teachers are essential to learning to read, but often cannot spend as much time with each individual student as needed. U-GAIN Reading will investigate variations in reading instruction and how that adapts to students’ strengths and needs to help schools provide greater support and feedback that can increase reading fluency and comprehension. As the five-year project progresses, the team will collect evidence to demonstrate the benefits for ELs’ reading levels.
“Unlike most applications of generative AI today, our research and development through U-GAIN Reading will focus specifically on strengths and needs of English learners,” said Dr. Jeremy Roschelle, executive director of learning sciences research at Digital Promise and principal investigator of U-GAIN Reading. “We’ll use AI to address three factors—content, interaction, and cultural responsiveness—that scientific research shows to be most important to reading growth.”
U-GAIN Reading will build on an existing research-based platform, Amira Learning, a research-based Intelligent Tutoring System (ITS) that is presently used by more than 1 million students each year. This partnership aims to support the desired outcome of the center—new research-based knowledge and better tools and resources for students.
“Amira is already helping hundreds of thousands of ELs become motivated and masterful readers,” said Mark Angel, CEO of Amira Learning. “UGAIN will enable us to accelerate the day when every EL has a path to reading proficiency.”
Through this platform, U-GAIN Reading will develop new knowledge about how to use generative AI to create content that supports student interests and strengths. Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania who specialize in computational linguistics, computer sciences, and learning analytics will bring expertise to the challenges, as well the learning sciences research team at Digital Promise. An evaluation team at MDRC will measure learner outcomes both to improve the R&D and benchmark its eventual impacts. Additional experts in the science of reading, ethics, and strategies for national impact will support the project’s work.
To learn more about U-GAIN Reading, visit ugainreading.org.
