Overview

Spurring the development of interventions that can double the rate of middle school math progress for low-income students.

The Learning Engineering Virtual Institute (LEVI) aims to create interventions that will double the rate of middle school math progress for low-income students.

Working in deep collaboration across teams and disciplines, LEVI will award organizations multi-year grants. Grantees will leverage advanced computational methods to develop, scale and implement AI-based tools that help low-income students succeed.

Teacher and three boys working on tablets

Why Middle School Math

Student proficiency in math and literacy has declined in the past decade, with outcomes in middle school math exceptionally low in the United States. Math performance, especially among historically marginalized populations, is particularly poor. Nationally, only 26% of all eighth-grade students were proficient on the NAEP math assessment in 2022. But in Cleveland, only 2% of African American 8th graders scored proficient. Yet, math proficiency is critical to economic mobility and earning a living wage. Indeed, passing 6th grade math is one of the top predictors of high school graduation.
The Covid-19 pandemic has worsened learning outcomes. Between 2019 and 2022, the NAEP Mathematics Assessment scores declined across all race & ethnic groups and math score percentile levels among 8th graders in 51 states/jurisdictions.  

Why AI

The rise of ChatGPT and other large language models underscores the potential of AI to dramatically change teaching and learning. The LEVI teams are at the forefront of this change and include approaches as diverse as: 

  • Developing a hybrid human-AI app that gives tutors the ‘superhuman’ power to provide students with a precise dosage of tutoring at their specific learning level;
  • Customizing avatars using generative AI to increase student motivation and engagement;
  • Training an award-winning chatbot that delivers math tutoring with personalized feedback and prompting student reflection.
Why-ai-right-image
ai-in-ed-lab-image

LEVI launched its first Applied AI in Education Lab.

This Lab generates data, insights, and knowledge to power both the LEVI teams and the field more broadly. The Applied AI in Education Lab is currently seeking input from students, parents and educators to optimize the utilization of AI in improving teaching and learning, both within and outside the traditional classroom setting.

Our Teams

Recent Posts

Five New Tools From The AI LEVI Lab

The Learning Engineering Virtual Institute (LEVI) created an AI Lab to help develop new...

CMU PLUS: Using Tutoring And AI To Overcome Math Anxiety

PLUS, part of the Learning Engineering Virtual Institute, is currently used in 13 schools in four...

Development of Scenario-Based Mentor Lessons

This demonstration shows the recent advancement of scenario based tutor training and its focus on...

Rewriting Math Word Problems with Large Language Models

In a recent study, math problems in Carnegie Learning’s MATHia adaptive learning software were...

Scenario-Based Training and On-The-Job Support for Equitable Mentoring

Personalized Learning2 (PL2) is a professional mentoring platform created by researchers at Carnegie...

Computer-Supported Human Mentoring

In a recent study, math problems in Carnegie Learning’s MATHia adaptive learning software were...