May 9, 2023 — Atlanta, GA

The National Science Foundation (NSF) announced that 100 multidisciplinary teams have advanced to the Discovery Round of the Visionary Interdisciplinary Teams Advancing Learning (VITAL) Prize Challenge, a multiphase challenge that supports teams in developing novel learning technologies. The challenge offers entrepreneurial training, customer discovery support, seed funding, and mentorship to build K-12 learning innovations at speed and scale for nationwide adoption.

Among the 100 outstanding groups advancing to the Discovery Round is Georgia Tech’s Teachable AI Lab, which consists of AI-ALOE Researcher Christopher MacLellan and his team. The team’s “Apprentice Tutors” concept harnesses interactive machine learning technologies to revolutionize K-12 education with a user-friendly platform for creating personalized and inclusive AI tutors. By empowering educators to develop tailored learning experiences, the team aims to foster equity and improve outcomes for all students.

Summary of the “Apprentice Tutors: A User-Friendly Platform for Building Personalized and Inclusive AI Tutors” team:

Intelligent tutoring systems (ITS) have been proven to enhance student learning outcomes, but they are costly and difficult to build. The teachable agent platform developed by this team enables educators to easily create AI-powered ITS tailored to diverse needs. The platform addresses the high authoring cost bottleneck by empowering teachers to develop personalized learning experiences using intuitive tools and natural instructional modalities. This innovative solution democratizes access to ITS, fostering educational equity and improved learning outcomes for all students while supporting educators in delivering customized, effective, and inclusive education.

Learn more about the VITAL Prize Challenge at https://beta.nsf.gov/tip/vital-prize-challenge.