AI-Driven Formative Assessments for Hands-On Science

With Phase I and Phase II funding from prior IES-funded SBIR project, the developer created a wireless device that transmits scientific data from hands-on experiments carried out by middle school students to a dashboard that presents results from student work in real-time. This project will develop an artificial intelligence (AI) assessment system that will provide immediate personalized feedback to middle school students during hands-on labs, as well as scaffolded hints to students while they analyze experimental data. The prototype will include the AI algorithm for analyzing real-world experimental data, an assessment feedback dashboard, and the student feedback user interface. At the end of Phase I, in a pilot study with 200 middle schools students, the researchers will examine the feasibility of students using the formative assessment feedback during hands-on experiments, the ease of integrating the real-time feedback into classroom practice, and students' engagement when using the interface.