A nearly $4.7 million National Science Foundation (NSF) grant shared between Michigan State University and University of Southern California (USC) will leverage artificial intelligence to create a professional development program for elementary math teachers.
The five-year, four-phase project launching in October 2024, will be led by Principal Investigator Yasemin Copur-Gencturk (USC Rossier School of Education), alongside co-principal investigators MSU Foundation Professor Kenneth Frank from the College of Education and MSU Research Foundation Professor Jilliang Tang from the College of Engineering.
Elementary math is a formative time for learners and often dictates their future performance throughout school, according to research cited in the project proposal. Technology can help alleviate an overburdened system by providing supplemental support that enhances teaching effectiveness.
“The goal is to give teachers more content knowledge and pedagogical content knowledge (PCK), and tailor their learning so that it’s interactive throughout the process,” said Frank. The program will focus on improving educators’ ability to effectively teach numbers and operations, a key aspect of PCK.
According to the scholars, the program will also address the need for accessible, high-quality professional development (PD) while allowing educators to focus on more complex, personalized aspects of student learning.
“This is a supplemental tool, meant to lift some of the weight off of teachers,” said Copur-Gencturk, who serves as the Katzman-Ernst Chair in Educational Entrepreneurship, Technology & Innovation. “For professional development programs, we know that some teachers don’t have access to high quality PD because of their time conflicts, schedule conflicts or their locations. We are trying to improve equity across the board.”
Approximately 200 elementary math teachers across the U.S. will take part in the study. MSU will receive $1.4 million in funding.
How it works
Teachers will engage with an artificial intelligence-powered (AI) facilitator through a series of virtual modules designed to enhance their PCK in numbers and operations. The facilitator will provide real-time feedback based on the teachers’ responses. The modules will be available on-demand, offering teachers the flexibility to access them at their convenience.
Building on a prototype developed under a previous grant from the Institute of Education Sciences, Frank, Tang and Copur-Gencturk will each contribute their expertise in key areas:
- Domain knowledge: Copur-Gencturk, an associate professor of teacher education with a Ph.D. in mathematics education, serves as the project’s subject matter expert on pedagogical content knowledge (PCK). She will ensure the AI system meets the specific needs of educators by aligning it with effective content and pedagogical strategies for teaching mathematics.
- Development and interface: Tang’s role in the project focuses on the technical development of the AI system, which includes a multi-agent system designed to provide real-time feedback and ensure seamless interaction between educators and the platform. He is responsible for creating the computer interface and managing the implementation of the AI tool that guides teachers through the training process. He will also ensure the AI adheres to ethical standards and minimizes hallucinations – the generation of incorrect or misleading information – by carefully monitoring and tweaking the large language model.
- Refining and Analyzing: Frank brings expertise in quantitative analysis and research design to the project. He will examine teacher and student outcomes, and as data are collected, he will use an iterative process to refine the AI tool, sharing updates with the team throughout the study.
Expanding impact
With years of experience working together, the scholars are optimistic they can complete the project before the five-year term. “We are already a cohesive team and are always sharing ideas with each other,” added Tang.
Upon completion, their goal is to distribute the software nationwide, easing the burden on elementary math educators and enhancing instructional support across the country.