SRI Education: Enhancing Learning with Technology

Welcome to our latest newsletter, showcasing some of the digital learning projects that highlight our commitment to leveraging cutting-edge technologies for the benefit of education.

At SRI Education, we believe in the potential of technologies like artificial intelligence to promote equitable learning opportunities for all students. As the edtech industry continues its rapid growth and evolution, we remain dedicated to partnering with clients to ensure that educational innovations are not just forward-thinking, but also rooted in principles of equity, accessibility, and real-world applicability.

Rather than replacing adults, our innovations aim to strengthen the connections between students, adults, and learning content.

Our Digital Learning Projects

Learning Recovery with the LEARN Network

The Leveraging Evidence to Accelerate Recovery Nationwide (LEARN) Network, backed by the Institute of Education Sciences, is on a mission to ignite student learning growth through evidence-based solutions. SRI Education leads teams of researchers in finding strategies to develop and scale digital learning products that are tailored to local needs and contexts — building stronger connections between teachers, students, and content. Teams use SRI’s Invent-Apply-Transition (I-A-T) framework to effectively take products from the design room to the classroom. Visit the LEARN Network website and subscribe to the newsletter to find out more.

Perspectives from Postsecondary Collaborative Fellows

SRI Education’s Postsecondary Teaching with Technology Collaborative is committed to studying and improving how college faculty use digital learning tools to help students build self-directed learning skills for success in online STEM courses. A new fellowship program places students at the forefront of this research. The fellows have already made significant contributions by shaping research strategies, assessing data collection tools, and co-authoring insightful blog posts. Learn more about the student fellows’ perspectives on the Postsecondary Collaborative website.

Partnering with Alchemie to Transform STEM Education with Kasi

SRI Education is driven by a commitment to equitable access to learning. We are currently partnering with Alchemie Solutions, Inc. to develop and evaluate Kasi, an online system that combines physical manipulatives and computer vision algorithms to produce a multisensory method for students with blindness or low vision (BLV) to learn chemistry content. As the research partner, SRI will conduct a usability study to inform development and refinement of the Kasi system; a feasibility study of Kasi in high school chemistry classrooms; and an evaluation of Kasi’s impact on the science self-efficacy of students with BLV. Grounded in Universal Design for Learning principles, this innovative platform aims to encourage students to pursue pathways to STEM careers. Learn more about Alchemie and Kasi.

Transforming Education Through the Ready to Learn Initiative

For more than a decade, SRI Education and the Education Development Center have been measuring the impact of the Ready to Learn transmedia program on young children’s literacy, math, and science skills. Led by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and the Public Broadcasting System (PBS), Ready to Learn creates and delivers engaging digital media content such as videos, games, apps, and hands-on activities to enhance learning among students with economically disadvantaged backgrounds. Learn more about the Ready to Learn initiative.

Recent Publications, Articles, and Other Resources

Discover more about how SRI Education is making an impact in our recent digital learning research and resources:

NEW SRI EDUCATION PODCAST!

• The SRI Homeroom. Introducing The SRI Homeroom, a podcast from SRI Education. Listen to Season 1 host Kori Hamilton Biagas have insightful discussions with researchers, developers, data experts, and educators dedicated to making a positive impact on the education system.

Journal article

• State Coordinator Perceptions of Linkages Between Newborn Screening and Early Intervention. This study, co-authored by SRI Education researcher Sheresa Blanchard, looks at how programs that identify and treat health conditions in newborns can coordinate services to support kids with developmental delays.

Report

• Sound Town Evaluation Report. Explore findings from SRI Education’s recent evaluation of Sound Town, a digital early literacy program. Researchers Jennifer Nakamura, Maddie Cincebeaux, and Todd Grindal describe how the program showed promise in enhancing vital literacy skills, addressing the effectiveness of digital tools in early education.

Research article

• Can Professional Learning Lead to Greater Use of OER-Enabled Open and Culturally Responsive Practices? In partnership with Achieving the Dream, SRI Education researchers Rebecca Griffith, Ela Joshi, and Jodie Lawrence explore how open educational resources (OER) can boost culturally responsive teaching and learning in college.

Videos

• Conducting Policy-Relevant Research to Support Young Children. In this video, Todd Grindal, co-director of SRI Education’s Center for Learning and Development, delves into the power of observational data, video, and coaching information to enhance the learning journey of teachers and students.
• Double Scoop of Research with Claire Christensen (APPROVE). In this episode of Double Scoop of Research, SRI Education researcher Claire Christensen delves into APPROVE, an AI-powered YouTube filter designed to automatically identify early literacy and math content in online videos.

Listen and Subscribe to Our New Podcast:
The SRI Homeroom

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SRI Education, a division of SRI International, is helping federal and state agencies, school districts, major foundations, nonprofit organizations, and international and commercial clients tackle some of the most complex issues in education to help students succeed. Our mission is to reduce barriers, optimize outcomes, and ensure educational equity for all children, youth, and families. We do this by conducting high-quality research, supporting use of data and evidence, helping to strengthen state and local systems, and developing tools that improve teaching and accelerate and deepen learning. Our work covers a range of topics: early learning and development, disability and inclusion, supporting multilingual learners, student behavior and well-being, teaching quality, digital learning, STEM and computer science, and literacy and language arts, and college and career pathways. We believe diversity in our organization and project teams leads to better and more equitable research and technical assistance, resulting in improved outcomes for all.

SRI International is a nonprofit research institute whose innovations have created new industries, extraordinary marketplace value, and lasting benefits to society.

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