A technology trendsetter in search of the next way he can help students succeed. 

INTERVIEW | by Victor Rivero

Kyle Berger is an accomplished Chief Technology Officer with over 23 years of K-12 technology leadership experience in Texas’ public education system. He has served various districts of diverse sizes and demographics, successfully leading one-to-one deployment, district revitalization, and bond programs.

Kyle is a recipient of numerous prestigious awards, including the Technology Director of the Year for Texas, 2020 National Edtech Leadership Winner, Institutional Leadership Award for Interoperability, and Top 100 Influencers in Edtech by EdTech Digest. In 2023, Kyle was named one of 16 nationwide by the COSN Impact 30 Award as a leader impacting educational technology and leading change into the future. Kyle also has been invited to the White House to discuss K-12 cyber security at the national level.

Kyle’s transformative work has been recognized in educational technology magazines, industry case studies, and published books on Educational Technology. He is a highly respected and sought-after speaker, frequently presenting on educational technology transformation to corporations and school systems around the country. Kyle currently serves as a member of several corporate advisory boards and as Chief Technology Officer for Grapevine-Colleyville ISD, a school district of 14,000 students located in North Texas. Under his leadership, the district has overseen the top virtual school in Texas and ranked fifth in the country for the past decade, while also developing State Championship Esports programs for high school competitions.

For these reasons and more, Kyle Berger is The EdTech Trendsetter Awards Winner for School Leader Setting a Trend as part of The EdTech Awards 2024 from EdTech Digest. 

As part of his quest to expand his horizons and continually learn and challenge himself to bring back innovative applications into his schools, Kyle is headed to Japan this fall to visit schools there to collaborate on how they are integrating technology and finding the balance that continues their educational success. He’ll meet with, among others, executives from Japan-based Epson to review growing trends in education in Japan and the US. Before he heads out, he sat down with EdTech Digest to talk about purpose in education, AI in education, thoughtful integration of technology—and what’s just ahead. 

What does it mean to be honored as part of The EdTech Awards 2024 in the context of now even further acceleration of technology with AI in education? 

As an educational technology leader with over two decades of experience, I am both humbled and energized to be recognized among the visionaries in The EdTech Awards 2024. This honor comes at a pivotal moment in education, as we navigate the transformative integration of AI into our learning ecosystems. The rapid advancements in AI are not just changing how we teach and learn; they’re revolutionizing our ability to understand and support student growth on an unprecedented scale.

‘The rapid advancements in AI are not just changing how we teach and learn; they’re revolutionizing our ability to understand and support student growth on an unprecedented scale.’

From your unique vantage point as someone with a long record of bringing innovation with technology for learning into your school district, what really is the transformative potential of AI in education?

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EVs can burn for days, firefighters have little or no training to deal with them, and conventional equipment isn’t effective. But new technology is being developed that should make all the difference.

State Education Technology Directors Association (SETDA) just released The 2024 State EdTech Trends. The survey and report tracks insights on the top edtech priorities as identified in SETDA’s survey of state policy-makers including state edtech directors, state superintendents and commissioners of education and CIOs. “With every new report, it’s more evident that state education agencies are evolving to meet the demands of a digital, modern world while navigating the uncertainty created by emerging technologies like artificial intelligence,” says Julia Fallon, Executive Director of SETDA. Like its predecessors, the report catalogs ways state education agencies are adjusting to a world where technology is ubiquitous and where new and emerging innovations create never-before-seen opportunities and risks. Conducted in collaboration with Whiteboard Advisors, the report includes responses from 46 states and the Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA). The report complements the survey data with state spotlights that showcase the work states are leading to support cybersecurity efforts, the effective and equitable use of edtech tools, and the development of policy to guide the use of AI in K-12 classrooms. Learn more.

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Electric grills dangle the potential of being greener, safer, and more consistent than propane grills. But the experience of using one is frustrating.

Two instructors at Vilnius University in Lithuania brought in some unusual teaching assistants earlier this year: AI chatbot versions of themselves.

The instructors — Paul Jurcys and Goda Strikaitė-Latušinskaja — created AI chatbots trained only on academic publications, PowerPoint slides and other teaching materials that they had created over the years. And they called these chatbots “AI Knowledge Twins,” dubbing one Paul AI and the other Goda AI.

They told their students to take any questions they had during class or while doing their homework to the bots first before approaching the human instructors. The idea wasn’t to discourage asking questions, but rather to nudge students to try out the chatbot doubles.

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Would you use an AI teaching assistant? Share your thoughts.

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“We introduced them as our assistants — as our research assistants that help people interact with our knowledge in a new and unique way,” says Jurcys.

Experts in artificial intelligence have for years experimented with the idea of creating chatbots that can fill this support role in classrooms. With the rise of ChatGPT and other generative AI tools, there’s a new push to try robot TAs.

“From a faculty perspective, especially someone who is overwhelmed with teaching and needs a teaching assistant, that's very attractive to them — then they can focus on research and not focus on teaching,” says Marc Watkins, a lecturer of writing and rhetoric at the University of Mississippi and director of the university’s AI Summer Institute for Teachers of Writing.

But just because Watkins thought some faculty would like it doesn’t mean he thinks it’s a good idea.

“That's exactly why it's so dangerous too, because it basically offloads this sort of human relationships that we're trying to develop with our students and between teachers and students to an algorithm,” he says.

On this week’s EdSurge Podcast, we hear from these professors about how the experiment went — how it changed classroom discussion but sometimes caused distraction. A student in the class, Maria Ignacia, also shares her view on what it was like to have chatbot TAs.

And we listen in as Jurcys asks his chatbot questions — and admits the bot puts things a bit differently than he would.

Listen to the episode on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or on the player on this page.

Randi Economou is at the helm of Capstone at precisely the right moment of edtech’s evolution from providing technology for technology’s sake to vendors becoming true solution-oriented partners.

Whether at the beginning of her career teaching 9th grade or now as a leader of 200+ employees, Randi has been in schools every week for the past 23 years, and one thing is very clear: problems like closing the literacy gap are solved with collective action.

The message of collective impact guides her work. At Capstone, she champions customer-centric thinking and cross-departmental collaboration. She fosters employees’ sense of mission by asking employees to approach each other, their work, and their customers with empathy and a commitment to problem-solving.

In her evolution from teaching to CEO, impact has been central to her motivation: “I learned that I was impacting more kids across the nation by helping districts adopt just-right solutions and motivating teachers to use technology.” A recent example is entering into a partnership with ISTE to publish Sonia’s Digital World, the first in a series of children’s titles. The partnership teams ISTE’s subject-matter experts and research-based best practices on technology use in schools with Capstone’s delightful, engaging storytelling for young readers.

Randi’s core belief is that district/vendor partnerships are more than corporate-speak. They succeed by helping educators make a difference for students. Capstone’s customers are responding to the authenticity she inspires, setting both the trend and the pace for continued growth. For these reasons and more, Randi Economou is The EdTech Trendsetter Awards Winner for “Leader Setting a Trend” as part of The EdTech Awards 2024 from EdTech Digest. Learn more.

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This edtech consultant, presenter, attorney, author, and teacher is a familiar face at so many edtech conferences and events. She’s also a teacher: Rachelle Dené Poth teaches Spanish and STEAM: Emerging Technology. She has a Juris Doctor degree from Duquesne University School of Law and a Master’s in Instructional Technology. She is currently pursuing a second doctorate, focused on Educational Technology.

She is also an ISTE Certified Educator and Microsoft Innovative Educator Expert. She is past-president of ISTE Teacher Education and received the ISTE Making IT Happen Award in 2019 and Presidential gold and silver awards for volunteer service to education. Rachelle was named one of 150 Women Thought Leaders to Follow for 2022 and one of 30 K-12 IT Influencers for 2021.

In 2017, Rachelle was selected as the 2017 Outstanding Teacher of the Year by PAECT and one of ”20 to Watch” educators by NSBA. Rachelle has written seven books, which include more than 150 educators from around the world. She presents at state, national, and international conferences.

Rachelle started researching and presenting on AI and emerging technologies more than five years ago. She has presented more than 100 sessions, trainings for educators, written articles, spoken on panels and taught about AI as well as AR/VR, the metaverse and STEM. She has been called upon by media outlets, educational organizations, to provide insight into AI and is currently writing several publications about AI.

Rachelle is a columnist for various magazines and websites about the future of learning. She has a podcast ThriveinEDU, hosts ThriveinEDU Live and leads a community of educators on Facebook. For these reasons and more, Rachelle Dené Poth earned The EdTech Trendsetter Awards Winner status as part of The EdTech Awards 2024 from EdTech Digest. Learn more. 

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The Learning Design Team at ClassLink is the power behind all things educational for internal and external stakeholders. They are the source of all Help Center documentation and ClassLink Academy courses.

ClassLink’s Help Center provides over 450 easy-to-use articles that allow users to find necessary information quickly. Articles are ADA compliant and feature light humor, use of emojis, graphics, videos, and GIFs to illustrate knowledge further.

ClassLink Academy is a comprehensive online training platform designed to provide technical administrators, educational leaders, instructors, and students with top-notch resources. With over 200 micro-courses, the primary goal is to elevate their proficiency and comprehension in utilizing ClassLink’s suite of products effectively.

ClassLink Academy features proven andragogy and pedagogy as well as gamification, multimedia content, certifications, CEUs, and badges.

Both ClassLink Academy and ClassLink’s Help Center have helped users to develop a higher level of proficiency in utilizing ClassLink products. By providing comprehensive training resources, users have gained a deeper understanding of the platform’s features and functionalities, enabling them to navigate and use them more effectively. ClassLink’s Help Desk has also experienced a decrease in help center tickets as users are familiar with how to navigate products on their own effectively.

Due to higher proficiency and confidence powered by knowledge, users have enjoyed improved productivity as they’ve optimized their workflows to streamline their tasks. The increased efficiency has led to more efficient ways to access resources, applications, and data, saving time and effort.

For these reasons and more, ClassLink Learning Design Team has been recognized as The EdTech Trendsetter Awards Winner for “EdTech Group Setting a Trend” as part of The EdTech Awards 2024 from EdTech Digest. Learn more. 

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Recognizing that online courses are cheaper to deliver than face-to-face courses, StraighterLine was founded in 2008 as a solution to the rising costs of a college education. It was the first non-college to offer ultra-affordable, high-quality online courses that were recognized for real college credit.

Still a solution to the rising costs of college, StraighterLine has grown its course catalog to 250+ online courses and helps tens of thousands of students hack their education. It works with individuals, colleges, and employers to create low-cost, low-risk pathways to help students succeed. Today, the company aims to empower learners with a flexible and affordable path to reach their college and career goals. Now serving over 150,000 learners per year, StraighterLine is evolving to meet the needs of today’s learners through online courses, credentials, and student support.

Every course goes through a thorough review process by the American Council on Education. In addition, their partner institutions review the course curriculum, learning outcomes and assessments to ensure that they meet the quality standards for their school.

Helping students succeed is top of mind; they value their partnerships with degree-granting institutions and believe they can do more for students together than as competitors. StraighterLine has the most partner institutions with articulation agreements than any other course provider. More than 160+ partners guarantee transfer of StraighterLine courses. To date, more than 2,000 accredited institutions of higher education and the majority of institutions in every state have accepted StraighterLine courses for credit.

For these reasons and more, Straighter is The EdTech Trendsetter Award Winner for “EdTech Company Setting a Trend” in Higher Education as part of The EdTech Awards 2024 from EdTech Digest. Learn more.

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Today and in the future, a growing array of Artificial Intelligence (AI) models and capabilities will be incorporated into the products that specifically serve educational settings. The U.S. Department of Education is committed to encouraging innovative advances in edtech to improve teaching and learning across the nation’s education systems and to supporting developers as they create products and services using AI for the educational market.

Building on the Department’s prior report, Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Teaching and Learning: Insights and Recommendations (2023 AI Report), this new guide seeks to inform product leads and their teams of innovators, designers, developers, customer-facing staff, and legal teams as they work toward safety, security, and trust while creating AI products and services for use in education. This landscape is broader than those building large language models (LLMs) or deploying chatbots; it includes all the ways existing and emerging AI capabilities can be used to further shared educational goals.

Among the many developers, industry associations, and nonprofit organizations that attended listening sessions and contributed their ideas for translating the Department’s recommendations for Artificial Intelligence in education into practical guidelines:

Learn more. 

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The K-12 edtech spend market size is expected to be worth around USD 132.4 Bn by 2032 from USD 18.5 Bn in 2023, growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 25.2% during the forecast period from 2023 to 2032, according to research firm Market.us.

K-12 education technology spend refers to the expenditure on technology products, services, and solutions specifically designed for the K-12 education sector. This includes hardware devices, software applications, learning management systems, online educational resources, and other digital tools that enhance teaching and learning experiences in schools.

The K-12 education technology spend market has witnessed substantial growth in recent years. According to market research, the market size is projected to reach billions of dollars by the end of the forecast period. The driving factors behind this growth include the increasing adoption of digital learning, the need for personalized and interactive educational experiences, and the growing emphasis on STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) education. Learn more.

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It’s kind of a big deal in edtech and it’s just now out: The 7th annual EdTech Top 40 list. Of note, this year the ETT40 highlights tools that are ESSA-aligned and indicates that AI’s explosion on the scene has led to districts, teachers and students accessing more tools – hence the need for interoperability and evidence.

‘…this year the ETT40 highlights tools that are ESSA-aligned and indicates that AI’s explosion on the scene has led to districts, teachers and students accessing more tools…’

Increases in Unique Digital Tools

The new LearnPlatform by Instructure report finds increases in more unique digital tools access by K-12 institutions, students, and teachers. The report highlights the reliance on edtech in our schools and the importance of maintaining an interoperable technological ecosystem.

LearnPlatform by Instructure published the report which focuses on the usage of digital solutions, tools and resources in K-12 districts, schools and classrooms within the United States during the 2023-24 school year. In addition to highlighting the top 40 education technology products, which represent more than 3.9 million student and teacher interactions, the report provides insights on trends, Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA)-aligned evidence and categorical rankings relevant to K-12 decision-makers as well as edtech product leaders.

According to the report, K-12 institutions are accessing eight percent more tools aggregated annually from the prior academic year–continuing a similar trend seen in recent years’ reports. This year also saw an increase in unique edtech tools accessed individually by both students and teachers.

Building An Effective Learning Ecosystem

“The evidence is clear: tech-enabled learning is here to stay,” says Melissa Loble, Chief Academic Officer at Instructure. “As districts continue to explore different tools to enhance learning, the obstacles they now face aren’t just about picking the best tool, but picking safe, effective and interoperable tools that work together to build a highly effective learning ecosystem. Districts need trusted guidance and transparent information to empower them to make efficient and effective decisions that will improve teaching and learning.”

School districts accessed an average of 2,739 distinct edtech tools annually, with an average of 1,436 tools accessed each month during the school year. This indicates that districts are continuing to explore different technological tools over the course of the school year in order to improve or assist the learning experience. 

No Surprise, AI Explosion — Scrutiny Expected

“The increase in tools used isn’t a surprise,” says Shiren Vijiasingam, Chief Product Officer at Instructure. “On the one hand, we know districts are actively looking for opportunities to consolidate their edtech, but with the explosion of new AI-enabled tools, there has been a lot of experimentation. We expect scrutiny on how these tools are helping the teaching and learning process.” 

As with previous years, the top 40 tools continue to remain consistent with only a handful of new products joining the list. The five new entrants to the EdTech Top 40 this academic year include PBS, Panorama Education, Scratch, Adobe, and Grammarly; the latter three indicating the quickly increasing prevalence of AI in schools and drawing attention to the need for best practices to guide its use.

Evidence-based Decisions

Educators are using technology to boost student engagement, personalize learning and save time, but how do they know what’s making a difference? The report found that 32% of the tools on the 2024 Edtech Top 40 have published research that meets one of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) four tiers of evidence. The ESSA framework offers an accessible model for educators to identify research-backed edtech, ranging from innovative new solutions to established tools with empirical validation. School districts are increasingly seeking ESSA-aligned research as part of their vetting processes to make evidence-based decisions.

Deeper Look, Comprehensive Analysis

Consistent with previous years, this report analyzed products performing specific functions to provide a deeper look at the top education technology tools within key categories. This year’s categories include Learning Management Systems (LMS), Supplemental Platforms, Courseware Platforms, Study Tools, Classroom Response & Assessment Tools, and Sites and Resources. Recognizing the rise of LMS solutions as the hub of teaching and learning, the report also offered a snapshot of the fifteen solutions most commonly accessed within Canvas, the second-most used LMS, and found just under 50% overlap with the Top 40 list.

Data for both the rankings and usage metrics was gathered via LearnPlatform’s Inventory Dashboard from September 1, 2023, through May 31, 2024. This Inventory Dashboard seamlessly integrates with browsers and mobile device management systems, providing transparent insight into the edtech tools utilized by students and educators in any U.S. educational institution. The report offers a comprehensive analysis of over 57 billion engagements spanning more than 9,000 education technology products throughout the year.

Analysis, tools and reports are compliant with all federal and state student data privacy laws, including FERPA, COPPA, CIPA and PPRA. The Edtech Top 40 is based solely on quantitative analysis of engagement, and does not reflect user sentiment, effectiveness, or utility. (For additional detailed insights, evidence, and more information on any education technology, educators and leaders should access LearnPlatform by Instructure)

“Year after year, the EdTech Top 40 has provided comprehensive data of K-12 education technology engagement across our nation’s districts,” Loble concludes. “Data-driven decision-making is more important than ever when assessing the role of technology in our schools. This is why the EdTech Top 40 remains more relevant than ever.”

Learn more. 

 

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I can still vividly recall the chaotic scene of introducing iPads into Kindergarten classrooms. Picture it: a room bustling with eager five-year-olds unaccustomed to center procedures and five iPads as the hottest commodity amidst blocks, dolls and traditional learning stations. What’s the Kindergarten version of the Hunger Games? Imagine that.

Managing a technology rollout for littles felt tough, but the real challenge didn’t hit me until I had to engage with some of the apps intended for our students. They were clunky, confusing and, more often than not, frustrating for our young learners. These children were still mastering the grip of big pencils and manipulating objects with their tiny fingers. Yet, they were expected to click on tiny multiple-choice buttons or log in independently.

Managing a technology rollout for littles felt tough, but the real challenge didn’t hit me until I had to engage with some of the apps intended for our students. They were clunky, confusing and, more often than not, frustrating for our young learners.

Amidst this chaos, I realized the importance of finding technology that caters to the needs of our youngest learners. It’s not just about having the latest gadgets; it's about leveraging technology to support their development and enrich their learning journey. Below are nine key features I look for during the edtech selection process.

1. Safe and Age-Appropriate

Ensure that the content is safe and suitable for young learners, with appropriate levels of challenge. Look for tools that provide a safe and secure online environment, with features such as password protection, privacy settings and age-appropriate content filters. Avoid apps and programs that include ads or in-app purchases, which can be distracting and may lead to inappropriate content exposure. Choose tools that offer customizable settings, allowing teachers to adjust the difficulty level and content to meet the needs of their students.

2. Inclusive Design

Inclusive design in educational technology is crucial to ensure that all students, regardless of their abilities or backgrounds, have equal access to learning opportunities. Tools designed with inclusivity in mind can accommodate a variety of learning styles and needs. For instance, apps that offer multiple modes of interaction, such as touch, voice and visual prompts, can support students with different abilities. Research supports the efficacy of inclusive design in improving educational outcomes.

3. Engaging and Fun

Digital learning tools should be interactive and entertaining, capturing children's attention while fostering learning. Look for apps and programs that use bright colors, interesting animations and fun characters to keep students engaged. Interactive games and activities that allow students to explore and learn at their own pace are particularly effective in captivating young learners. Khan Academy Kids is a prime example, offering joyful, developmentally appropriate learning experiences that appeal to young minds.

4. Aligned With Curriculum Goals

Choose tools that align with educational standards and support your curriculum objectives. Look for apps and programs that cover key concepts and skills taught in early elementary grades, such as phonics, early literacy, basic math skills and foundational science concepts. Ensure that the content is relevant to your curriculum goals and supports the learning objectives you want to achieve in your district. Khan Academy Kids, for instance, covers a broad range of subjects, ensuring that all essential areas of early learning are addressed, with an emphasis on boosting pre-literacy skills. Appropriately aligning digital tools with curriculum standards can enhance student achievement and retention.

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Young learners waiting in line for their devices

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5. Easy to Navigate

The interface should be intuitive and user-friendly, allowing even young children to use the tool independently. Avoid apps and programs with complex navigation or confusing instructions. Look for tools that have simple, easy-to-understand menus and controls, with clear prompts and feedback to guide students through the learning process. Teachers should be able to quickly and easily set up and manage the tools, saving time and frustration for both teachers and students.

6. Connect School and Home

Recommended Resources:

• Help students maximize summer learning with Camp Khan Kids
• Learn how to support teachers implementing The Science of Reading
• Access hundreds of free, diverse texts for young readers

Effective edtech tools should also bridge the gap between school and home. Parents often want to support their children's learning but may feel unsure how to do so effectively. This is where apps like Khan Academy Kids can be particularly valuable. They provide parents with the tools they need to practice essential skills, such as literacy, at home without requiring a deep foundation in teaching. With enthusiasm and a user-friendly platform, parents can engage their children in meaningful educational activities that reinforce classroom learning. Guidance and resources for parents can significantly enhance the impact of edtech tools on student learning.

7. Personalized Learning

Look for tools that leverage artificial intelligence to create personalized learning experiences that adapt to each child's unique needs and progress. AI-driven tools can provide real-time feedback, adjust the difficulty of activities based on performance and identify areas where a student may need additional support. These capabilities make learning more effective and engaging for young children. Research shows that personalized learning through AI can significantly enhance educational outcomes.

8. Insightful Assessments

Ongoing checks for understanding are a critical component of early childhood education, providing insights into student progress and areas needing improvement. Edtech tools streamline the formative assessment process, making it more efficient and less intrusive. Digital assessments offer immediate feedback, enabling teachers to quickly identify and address learning gaps. These tools also collect and analyze data over time, offering a comprehensive view of a student's development. Some platforms include built-in assessment features that help teachers track progress and tailor instruction accordingly. By enhancing teachers' ability to utilize data practices effectively, these tools support better-informed teaching strategies and improved student outcomes.

9. User-Friendly Data Tools

Select platforms that equip teachers with easy access to data and intuitive analysis tools. Effective data use is key to enhancing instruction and supporting student learning. Look for edtech solutions that offer training and professional development on data literacy, empowering teachers to integrate data-driven practices into their routines. Khan Academy Kids supports teachers with progress tracking and data visualization tools that simplify the analysis and application of student performance data. Embracing data-driven teaching can lead to more personalized and effective learning experiences for students.

By considering these features, early childhood educators can select digital tools that enhance learning and support the development of young learners in their classrooms. From interactive games to educational videos, the right tools can make a significant difference in engaging students and fostering a love of learning from an early age.

© Image Credit: Khan Academy Kids

OpenAI recently announced ChatGPT Edu, a version of ChatGPT built for universities to responsibly deploy AI to students, faculty, researchers, and campus operations. Powered by GPT-4o, ChatGPT Edu can reason across text and vision and use advanced tools such as data analysis. This new offering includes enterprise-level security and controls and is affordable for educational institutions. “Integrating OpenAI’s technology into our educational and operational frameworks accelerates transformation at ASU. We’re collaborating across our community to harness these tools, extending our learnings as a scalable model for other institutions,” says Kyle Bowen, Deputy CIO at Arizona State University. “We built ChatGPT Edu because we saw the success universities like the University of Oxford, Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania(opens in a new window), University of Texas at Austin, Arizona State University(opens in a new window), and Columbia University in the City of New York were having with ChatGPT Enterprise,” according to a May 30, 2024 message from OpenAI. Learn more.

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Texas is turning over some of the scoring process of its high-stakes standardized tests to robots.

News outlets have detailed the rollout by the Texas Education Agency of a natural language processing program, a form of artificial intelligence, to score the written portion of standardized tests administered to students in third grade and up.

Like many AI-related projects, the idea started as a way to cut the cost of hiring humans.

Texas found itself in need of a way to score exponentially more written responses on the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness, or STAAR, after a new law mandated that at least 25 percent of questions be open-ended — rather than multiple choice — starting in the 2022-23 school year.

Officials have said that the auto-scoring system will save the state millions of dollars that otherwise would have been spent on contractors hired to read and score written responses — with only 2,000 scorers needed this spring compared to 6,000 at the same time last year.

Using technology to score essays is nothing new. Written responses for the GRE, for example, have long been scored by computers. A 2019 investigation by Vice found that at least 21 states use natural language processing to grade students’ written responses on standardized tests.

Still, some educators and parents alike felt blindsided by the news about auto-grading essays for K-12 students. Clay Robison, a Texas State Teachers Association spokesperson, says that many teachers learned of the change through media coverage.

“I know the Texas Education Agency didn’t involve any of our members to ask what they thought about it,” he says, “and apparently they didn’t ask many parents either.”

Because of the consequences low test scores can have for students, schools and districts, the shift to use technology to grade standardized test responses raises concerns about equity and accuracy.

Officials have been eager to stress that the system does not use generative artificial intelligence like the widely-known ChatGPT. Rather, the natural language processing program was trained using 3,000 written responses submitted during past tests and has parameters it will use to assign scores. A quarter of the scores awarded will be reviewed by human scorers.

“The whole concept of formulaic writing being the only thing this engine can score for is not true,” Chris Rozunick, director of the assessment development division at the TEA, told the Houston Chronicle.

The Texas Education Agency did not respond to EdSurge’s request for comment.

Equity and Accuracy

One question is whether the new system will fairly grade the writing of children who are bilingual or who are learning English. About 20 percent of Texas public school students are English learners, according to federal data, although not all of them are yet old enough to sit for the standardized test.

Rocio Raña is the CEO and co-founder of LangInnov, a company that uses automated scoring for its language and literacy assessments for bilingual students and is working on another one for writing. She’s spent much of her career thinking about how education technology and assessments can be improved for bilingual children.

Raña is not against the idea of using natural language processing on student assessments. She recalls one of her own graduate school entrance exams was graded by a computer when she came to the U.S. 20 years ago as a student.

What raised a red flag for Raña is that, based on publicly available information, it doesn’t appear that Texas developed the program over what she would consider a reasonable timeline of two to five years — which she says would be ample time to test and fine-tune a program’s accuracy.

She also says that natural language processing and other AI programs tend to be trained with writing from people who are monolingual, white and middle-class — certainly not the profile of many students in Texas. More than half of students are Latino, according to state data, and 62 percent are considered economically disadvantaged.

“As an initiative, it’s a good thing, but maybe they went about it in the wrong way,” she says. “‘We want to save money’ — that should never be done with high-stakes assessments.”

Raña says the process should involve not just developing an automated grading system over time, but deploying it slowly to ensure it works for a diverse student population.

“[That] is challenging for an automated system,” she says. “What always happens is it's very discriminatory for populations that don't conform to the norm, which in Texas are probably the majority.”

Kevin Brown, executive director of the Texas Association of School Administrators, says a concern he’s heard from administrators is about the rubric the automated system will use for grading.

“If you have a human grader, it used to be in the rubric that was used in the writing assessment that originality in the voice benefitted the student,” he says. “Any writing that can be graded by a machine might incentivize machine-like writing.”

Rozunick of the TEA told the Texas Tribune that the system “does not penalize students who answer differently, who are really giving unique answers.”

In theory, any bilingual or English learner students who use Spanish could have their written responses flagged for human review, which would assuage fears that the system would give them lower scores.

Raña says that would be a form of discrimination, with bilingual children’s essays graded differently than those who write only in English.

It also struck Raña as odd that after adding more open-ended questions to the test, something that creates more room for creativity from students, Texas will have most of their responses read by a computer rather than a person.

The autograding program was first used to score essays from a smaller group of students who took the STAAR standardized test in December. Brown says that he’s heard from school administrators who told him they saw a spike in the number of students who were scored zero on their written responses.

“Some individual districts have been alarmed at the number of zeros that students are getting,” Brown says. “Whether it’s attributable to the machine grading, I think that’s too early to determine. The larger question is about how to accurately communicate to the families, where a child might have written an essay and gotten a zero on it, how to explain it. It's a difficult thing to try to explain to somebody.”

A TEA spokesperson confirmed to the Dallas Morning News that previous versions of the STAAR test only gave zeros to responses that were blank or nonsensical, and the new rubric allows for zeros based on content.

High Stakes

Concerns about the possible consequences of using AI to grade standardized tests in Texas can’t be understood without also understanding the state’s school accountability system, says Brown.

The Texas Education Agency distills a wide swath of data — including results from the STAAR test — into a single letter grade of A through F for each district and school. It’s a system that feels out of touch to many, Brown says, and the stakes are high. The exam and annual preparation for it was described by one writer as “an anxiety-ridden circus for kids.”

The TEA can take over any school district that has five consecutive Fs, as it did in the fall with the massive Houston Independent School District. The takeover was triggered by the failing letter grades of just one out of its 274 schools, and both the superintendent and elected board of directors were replaced with state appointees. Since the takeover, there’s been seemingly nonstop news of protests over controversial changes at the “low-performing” schools.

“The accountability system is a source of consternation for school districts and parents because it just doesn’t feel like it connects sometimes to what’s actually happening in the classroom,” Brown says. “So any time I think you make a change in the assessment, because accountability [system] is a blunt force, it makes people overly concerned about the change. Especially in the absence of clear communication about what it is.”

Robison says that his organization, which represents teachers and school staff, advocates abolishing the STAAR test altogether. The addition of an opaque, automated scoring system isn’t helping state education officials build trust.

“There’s already a lot of mistrust over the STAAR and what it purports to represent and accomplish,” Robison says. “It doesn't accurately measure student achievement, and there’s lots of suspicion that this will deepen the mistrust because of the way most of us were surprised by this.”

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The advancements in technology are reshaping how we teach and learn, bringing new opportunities and challenges. To address such challenges, a concerted effort must be made to ensure that newer technologies are implemented thoughtfully and responsibly, with a focus on enhancing the educational experience for all students. Collaboration and open dialogue are key as we navigate this terrain, ensuring innovation meets the needs of today's educational institutions.

In almost every collaboration or discussion around what educators, schools and institutions need from their educational technology, three themes rise to the surface:

1. The need for a trusted, interoperable and flexible edtech ecosystem.
2. The growing reliance on data and analytics to help build that ecosystem.
3. The exploration of generative AI’s role in that ecosystem.

Ecosystem Evolution

We need to build an ecosystem that works best for all educators and supports learners. That’s why it’s so important to bring everyone together, including educators from both K-12 and higher education, edtech suppliers, non-profits and government organizations, to ensure the solutions we build benefit all.

When building up edtech resources for any learning environment, whether it be a K-12 school district, institution of higher education or professional development, there is a lot to consider. Before acquiring a new edtech system, tool or app, technology leaders need to consider privacy and security concerns. How will the technology work with other tools? Will it make life easier for already overwhelmed educators, or is it just one more item on their to-do list? Is it accessible to all learners? Does it align with the curriculum? When the needs of the institution change, will it be easy and affordable to make those changes?

Of course, following interoperability standards can help ensure the entire system works together and makes it faster, cheaper and easier to make future changes or additions to the ecosystem.

Open rubrics from the 1EdTech community can help start the vetting process on data privacy, security, accessibility and generative AI, while CASE Network 2 helps to align those tools with academic standards.

The ecosystem as a whole is making a major impact. There are initiatives to increase personalized learning and equity across districts and states, technology management solutions to lift some of the burdens from both technology departments and educators, and strategies to empower educators to use new technology, to name a few.

Data and Analytics

Technology is becoming increasingly important in education, but budgets remain limited. While only a little more than half of higher education institutions expect IT budgets to increase, the increase is only about two percent. In comparison, 48 percent of higher education institutions expect budgets to stay the same or decrease, according to Gartner’s higher education predictions for 2024. That means data and analytics will be crucial to helping select the right tools for each learning environment and proving their effectiveness.

1EdTech members are already using interoperability standards to see how their tools are being used, support student success and assess course impacts, but there is more to do.

Learning Tools Interoperability (LTI), OneRoster and Edu-API allow for the secure flow of data between various tools and systems, while the Caliper Analytics standard makes that data more accessible and easier to analyze. Members are working to break down silos across institutions and increase data insights and analysis to benefit teaching and learning in their institutions.

Additional Resources:

• 1EdTech Gamechangers 2023 and 2024
  
• Get Up and Stand Up for Learning Impact
  
• Getting Educators the Data They Need
  

A coalition of leading institutions is also championing LTI Advantage Data to provide real-time information covering progress within courses, assessment results and product usage.

Generative AI

Finally, there is no question that generative AI is causing excitement, confusion and anxiety, but it does have the potential to improve teaching and learning if done right. Everyone has a different understanding and ability to start implementing AI in their ecosystems.

The 1EdTech community already started establishing guidance and tools to help with the TrustEd Apps Generative AI Data Rubric and the AI Preparedness Checklist, and the conversation will continue with members discussing how they are implementing these tools, as well as practice prompts for educators.

In the end, these three themes boil down to one thing: We need to build an ecosystem that works best for all educators and supports learners. That’s why it’s so important to bring everyone together, including educators from both K-12 and higher education, edtech suppliers, non-profits and government organizations, to ensure the solutions we build benefit all.

These conversations and the work will continue at 1EdTech’s 2024 Learning Impact Conference, June 3-6 in Salt Lake City, Utah. Educators and edtech innovators will discuss how they’re addressing these issues, what works and what doesn’t, and consider where we need to go next.

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