Interested in improving the research and design of EdTech tools so they better support and affirm the brilliance of Black and Latino learners and those experiencing poverty?
We invite you to join AERDF and our network of R&D program partners — plus LeanLab, Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, and the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) — at ISTELive 24 from June 23 – 26!
Discover and experience AERDF’s evidence-based methods for improving EdTech product design and implementation at one of the world’s most comprehensive edtech events, attended by a global contingent of education leaders, teachers, coaches, media specialists, and more.
Join AERDF all week in room 2E at ISTELive 24.
MONDAY - JUNE 24
Co-Creating the Future of EdTech: The Advanced Inclusive Research & Development Experience
10:00 am- 12:00 pm
At the Advanced Inclusive Research & Development Experience, you will have the opportunity to interact with R&D teams across the lifecycle of Research and Development. The room will be organized into five stations and participants will cycle through the five stations getting a brief 15 min interaction with each station.
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The stations will span topics from all three AERDF programs (Reading Reimagined, EF+Math, and Assessment for Good) as well as include ISTE Seal holding product teams detailing their experience in attaining the ISTE Seal, as well as an R&D team from the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative demonstrating some of their co-design work. The overall experience will highlight a shift in R&D to include the full range of stakeholders from the earliest stages of R&D through transition to market. This is a chance to get under the hood of R&D with the teams building Learning Science insights and EdTech products that will help shape the future of EdTech.
By participating in this session you can share your line of sight on the problems of practice we see today while discussing the future of classroom products and practices. By joining the benefit to you will be an opportunity to see what is coming next. Your voice will provide the benefit to the R&D teams to maintain a line of sight on classroom practice. We look forward to your participation and anticipate many vibrant conversations that help improve the PreK-12 EdTech landscape of options.
SPEAKERS
Name
Role
Name
Role
The Decoding Threshold: Pioneering Research on Reading's Hidden Hurdle
1:00 pm- 1:50 pm
At Reading Reimagined, our work is shedding light on a hidden hurdle preventing many students from becoming great readers, the decoding threshold. Decoding is “the ability to translate a word from print to speech, usually by employing knowledge of sound-symbol correspondences; also the act of deciphering a new word by sounding it out.” Estimates from research on reading fluency and word reading indicate at least ⅓ of students in grade 4 and beyond are not proficient decoders and are below this threshold.
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We are gaining an understanding of how being below the decoding threshold impacts students and prevents them from reaching their potential as readers. The widespread belief that the basic decoding skills students have acquired by the end of third grade will provide a sufficient foundation for their future reading growth may undermine our efforts to move the needle on older students’ literacy. Complex decoding challenges are hiding in plain sight, and can block older readers from comprehending grade-level text. The implications of these new findings are important and their place in the literacy conversation is in its nascent stage. We are working to build new research-based tools with advanced technology to help solve this challenge and we hope audiences will benefit from a view into the early stages of this urgent conversation.
SPEAKERS
Rebecca Kockler
Executive Director, Reading Reimagined (AERDF)
Dr. Rebecca Sutherland
Associate Director of Research, Reading Reimagined (AERDF)
Mathematics, Executive Functions, and Equity: Advancing Levers for Powerful Math Learning Experiences
2:00 pm- 2:50 pm
How can we continue to develop and understand effective pathways to mathematics learning for students? This presentation will discuss the EF+Math Program’s work at the intersection of equitable mathematics learning, executive functions (EFs), and inclusive research and development (iR&D). Executive function skills allow us to manage our attention, thoughts, emotions, and behavior.
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The EF+Math Program is testing the hypothesis that the integration of EF skill development in math learning approaches that address conceptual understanding and complex problem solving, in ways which afford equitable experiences in math learning, can dramatically increase students’ math outcomes. EF+Math’s portfolio involves multidisciplinary teams of researchers, developers, and educators building, studying, and improving math learning approaches to understand this hypothesis. This session will present insights for the sector from across the portfolio, including examples of different ways to embed EF supports in math learning products and research findings around effective pathways for student learning.
SPEAKERS
Dr. Aubrey Francisco
Executive Director, EF+Math (AERDF)
Adam Smith
Associate Director, Inclusive R&D Partnerships, EF+Math (AERDF)
Dr. Megan Brunner
Associate Director, Research & Learning, EF+Math (AERDF)
Venture into the Future of Assessment
3:00 pm- 3:50 pm
How might we transform assessment so that we are ready for the future of learning? Join Assessment for Good and KnowledgeWorks to get a preview of their upcoming joint forecast “Unlocking Opportunity Through Assessment: Futures of Asset-Based Formative Assessment in 2034” focused on the possible futures we want in education at the intersection of assessment and learning.
In ten years, we’ll likely have a clearer perspective on some of our present day uncertainties, such as the role of artificial intelligence and how we might think about reimagining assessment as a more effective tool for the dynamic teaching and learning that occurs in high quality learning environments. However, if we wait until that time to figure out how we approach them with equity and opportunity at the center, it will be too late.
During this session, we will preview the trends uncovered from a year long exploration with key visionaries from across the nation and engage in an interactive discussion on how we might co-design what an asset-based approach to formative assessment should look like if we aim to improve the future of learning.
Through this session and the companion session “Future of Assessment Design Studio” we’ll explore how we’re bringing some of these future-facing practices to life in 2024 at Assessment for Good.
So join us as we take a rare step into the future, together!
SPEAKERS
Dr. Temple Lovelace
Executive Director, Assessment for Good (AERDF)
Katherine Prince
Vice President of Foresight
and Strategy, KnowledgeWorks
Venture into the Future of Assessment
4:00 pm- 4:50 pm
How might we transform assessment so that we are ready for the future of learning? Join Assessment for Good and KnowledgeWorks to get a preview of their upcoming joint forecast “Unlocking Opportunity Through Assessment: Futures of Asset-Based Formative Assessment in 2034” focused on the possible futures we want in education at the intersection of assessment and learning.
In ten years, we’ll likely have a clearer perspective on some of our present day uncertainties, such as the role of artificial intelligence and how we might think about reimagining assessment as a more effective tool for the dynamic teaching and learning that occurs in high quality learning environments. However, if we wait until that time to figure out how we approach them with equity and opportunity at the center, it will be too late.
During this session, we will preview the trends uncovered from a year long exploration with key visionaries from across the nation and engage in an interactive discussion on how we might co-design what an asset-based approach to formative assessment should look like if we aim to improve the future of learning.
Through this session and the companion session “Future of Assessment Design Studio” we’ll explore how we’re bringing some of these future-facing practices to life in 2024 at Assessment for Good.
So join us as we take a rare step into the future, together!
SPEAKERS
Dr. Temple Lovelace
Executive Director, Assessment for Good (AERDF)
Katherine Prince
Vice President of Foresight
and Strategy, KnowledgeWorks
TUESDAY - JUNE 25
Simplifying the Literacy Puzzle: Blueprints for a 360° Solution
10:30 a.m. - 11:20 a.m.
The market is inundated with niche solutions for subskills in literacy. There’s a fluency app here, a vocab workbook over there, and a range of different assessments. The result is that schools are left to piecemeal, weave, and duct tape solutions together, and too often students are left with a disjointed, incoherent experience.
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What would it take for a solution to be truly comprehensive to help students gain the literacy skills they need to become proficient readers? What would it look like to combine assessment, instruction, and intervention into a single offering? This is what we are working to create at Magpie Literacy based on the research from our sister organization, Reading Reimagined. Join us to learn more about how we can eradicate illiteracy together.
SPEAKERS
Rebecca Kockler
Executive Director, Reading Reimagined (AERDF)
Building Equity-Centered Tools to Support Student Problem Solving and Executive Function Using AI
11:30 a.m. - 12:30 P.m.
The field of educational technology has been grappling with the possible benefits and responsibilities of leveraging AI to support student learning and teacher practice. An equity-centered, inclusive approach to leveraging AI capabilities is necessary to develop and understand tools that honor student brilliance, answer to teacher needs, and move the field towards more equitable educational experiences.
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This session will discuss the creation, study, and iteration of a problem solving platform and its embedded AI components to illustrate how equity-centered Inclusive Research & Development (iR&D) processes have impacted the product outcomes. The interdisciplinary team of presenters represents how multiple perspectives from mathematics education, educational technology, and computer science sectors can come together to tackle complex educational challenges. The session will provide opportunities for participants to engage with the problem solving platform and the various AI components to consider how these features can advance their own teaching, research, and development activities from an equity-centered perspective.
SPEAKERS
Sheela Sethuraman
Founder & CEO, CueThink
CueThinkEF+ Project Team
Joann Wang
Senior Product Specialist and Research & Development Product Manager, CueThinkEF+ Project Team
Dr. Samuel Rhodes
Assistant Professor of Elementary and Special Education, Georgia Southern University
CueThinkEF+ Project Team
Dr. Stephen Hutt
Assistant Professor of Computer Science, University of Denver
Pennesota Project Team
What if literacy assessments worked for all students? Reimagining Foundational Skill Assessments
1:00 p.m. - 1:50 p.m.
Reading Reimagined’s work with Stanford University’s Rapid Online Assessment of Reading (ROAR) and the Achievement Network (ANet) has not only revealed substantial numbers of middle and high school students with gaps in their phonics knowledge but has also highlighted the dearth of foundational skill assessments that are both validated for older students (i.e., past 5th grade) and test more sophisticated foundational skills like morphology which is “the knowledge of meaningful word parts in a language (typically the knowledge of prefixes, suffixes, and/or roots and base words).”
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Morphology knowledge isn’t needed to decode grade-level text in first or second grade but is very necessary for decoding grade-level text in upper elementary, middle, and high school. In this session, we will discuss our findings from this study, what they mean for effective reading assessment and intervention for upper grades, and how we are addressing morphology with ROAR through a new morphology module that will be available to schools in the Fall of 2024.
SPEAKERS
Rebecca Kockler
Executive Director, Reading Reimagined (AERDF)
Dr. Jason Yeatman
Associate Professor in the Stanford University Graduate School of Education & ROAR
Program Director
Intertwining Executive Function, Fluency, and Reasoning: MIND Research’s Journey from Theory to Practice Regarding How We Learn
2:00 p.m. - 2:50 p.m.
This presentation will discuss how MIND Research Institute’s development of its new InsightMath and Fluency+ programs have been significantly impacted by its work within the EF+Math program, incorporating Inclusive R&D processes to push further and deeper towards equitable math learning. The session will highlight the science behind the overall learning designs of two products from MIND Research Institute – InsightMath and Fluency+ – and explores how specific learning science principles like spatial temporal reasoning, are embedded within them.
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Spatial-temporal reasoning involves transforming, relating, and comparing physical and mental images in space and across time, and is closely associated with conceptually-driven mathematics instruction. InsightMath further leverages creative ideation and problem solving principles underlying its classroom activities; Fluency+ embeds explicit executive function development in its individualized game-based app. Attendees will have the opportunity to experience the math learning activities conveyed through InsightMath and Fluency+, ranging from hands-on schema-building, where students connect new ideas to information they already understand, to mathematical fluency, or the ability to flexibly apply strategies to efficiently solve problems.
SPEAKERS
Brandon Smith
Director, Mathematics Innovation
MIND Research Institute
Nigel Nisbet
Vice President, Content Creation
MIND Research Institute
OER + Math (CZI)
3:00 P.m.- 3:50 P.m.
Invite-only session tailored specifically for Middle and High School math educators implementing OER mathematics curriculum. This interactive event will feature product demonstrations and focus group discussions designed to explore the integration of high-quality digital representation of OER mathematics curriculum within learning management systems. Engage directly with industry experts and peers to share your insights and learn about cutting-edge solutions that enhance teaching and learning experiences.
SPEAKERS
Tyler Sussman
Senior Program Officer
Chan Zuckerberg Initiative
Jared Joiner
Director, Practice to Product
Chan Zuckerberg Initiative
Meghan Brenneman
Director of UXR
Chan Zuckerberg Initiative
Sarah Wille
User Experience Researcher
Chan Zuckerberg Initiative
Future of Assessment Design Studio
4:00 p.m. - 4:50 p.m.
Drop-in to the “Future of Assessment Design Studio” and actively shape the future of educational assessment.
This immersive session is the second part of the previous session “Venture into the Future of Assessment” and invites you to take ideas about the future of assessment and design it yourself. Engage with fellow dreamers in our interactive lounge, hosted by Assessment for Good, to explore, create, and connect with other educators while forging a pathway to a more liberatory educational landscape.
SPEAKERS
Ramya Gopal
Director of Strategy, Assessment for Good (AERDF)
WEDNESDAY - JUNE 26
Co-Building Edtech: Educators as Design Partners from Ideation to Implementation
10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Explore the exciting frontier of educational technology by participating in “Co-Building Edtech: Educators as Design Partners from Ideation to Implementation.” session with the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative Education Technology team. This interactive workshop invites conference attendees to collaborate directly with product designers and user experience researchers through a series of co-design activities.
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Together, you’ll ideate and develop EdTech solutions that address real-world challenges faced in classrooms and schools. This hands-on session will amplify your voice as an educator in the product development process and empower you to help shape the tools that will transform educational environments. Join us to turn your ideas into impactful educational technologies.
SPEAKERS
Tyler Sussman
Senior Program Officer
Chan Zuckerberg Initiative
Jared Joiner
Director, Practice to Product
Chan Zuckerberg Initiative
Meghan Brenneman
Director of UXR
Chan Zuckerberg Initiative
Sarah Wille
User Experience Researcher
Chan Zuckerberg Initiative
Tim Carey
Director, Gradient Learning