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<\/p>\nGenerative AI is rapidly transforming K\u201312 education, offering new opportunities for learning and teaching. Yet fewer than 10% of AI tools in education have undergone independent validation. This gap between rapid adoption and proven effectiveness risks wasted resources, inconsistent learning outcomes, and missed opportunities to improve education.<\/p>\n
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The Evidence-Based AI in Learning (EVAL) Industry Collaborative<\/strong> bridges this gap by conducting rigorous research to evaluate AI tools’ impact on K-12 student<\/span>\u00a0learning outcomes.<\/span> We provide the research infrastructure and expertise EdTech companies need to demonstrate impact, build trust, and accelerate adoption\u2014ensuring AI innovation truly benefits students.<\/p>\nWe are looking for industry partners to conduct efficacy research. Contact us today.<\/a>\n Decades of research in education and cognitive science have shown how to teach core domains\u2014literacy, mathematics, and science\u2014effectively. We also know that impact depends on context: what works, for whom, and under what conditions. Translating this expertise into the design, evaluation, and implementation of generative AI tools presents both a major challenge and a unique opportunity to turn AI innovation into real learning impact.<\/p>\n The <\/span>EVAL Industry Collaborative<\/b> was established by the Wheelock College of Education and Human Development to meet this challenge<\/span>. We combine education, cognitive science, and implementation research with cutting-edge methodologies to evaluate AI tools at scale, ensuring they align with how students learn and how teachers teach in diverse classrooms.<\/p>\n Our approach is rooted in empirically proven methods and led by experts in AI, cognitive science, and education. In partnership with EdTech innovators<\/strong>, we provide the research infrastructure and expertise needed to build a stronger, evidence-based foundation for AI in education.<\/p>\n The Cost of Un<\/strong>tested Tools<\/strong> Co-Design for Impact<\/strong> Closing the Gap<\/strong> An \u201cFDA for Education\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n Just as the FDA safeguards public health by testing the safety and efficacy of medical treatments, education needs a trusted process for evaluating AI tools before they are scaled in schools. Without such safeguards, technologies may widen achievement gaps instead of closing them.<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n While AI is rapidly transforming K-12 education, fewer than 10% of the AI tools in classrooms have undergone independent validation. Amira Learning, an AI-powered reading tutor, is collaborating with researchers at Boston University\u2019s Evidence-Based AI in Learning (EVAL) Initiative to receive a gold-standard, independent evaluation through this study.<\/p>\n Learn More<\/a><\/p>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n Boston University\u2019s EVAL Collaborative Names Amira Learning Winner of Inaugural EVAL EdTech Evaluation Challenge, Advancing Evidence-Based Literacy Reform in Massachusetts US literacy rates are shocking. Will AI save us? on Say More, a Boston Globe podcast Bridging Early Literacy, Brain Research, and AI Innovation on the Trending in Education Podcast <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Bridging the Critical Evidence Gap in Educational AI Generative AI is rapidly transforming K\u201312 education, offering new opportunities for learning and teaching. Yet fewer than 10% of AI tools in education have undergone independent validation. This gap between rapid adoption and proven effectiveness risks wasted resources, inconsistent learning outcomes, and missed opportunities to improve education. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":16894,"featured_media":0,"parent":10525,"menu_order":4,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"page-templates\/landing.php","meta":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/hic\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/38557"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/hic\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/hic\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/hic\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/16894"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/hic\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=38557"}],"version-history":[{"count":50,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/hic\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/38557\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":40020,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/hic\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/38557\/revisions\/40020"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/hic\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/10525"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/hic\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=38557"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Turning AI Innovation into Real Learning Impact<\/h3>\n
Why EVAL Matters: Statistics & More<\/h3>
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Schools have often adopted educational technologies that seemed promising but lacked evidence. These untested tools can fail students and disproportionately affect vulnerable populations.<\/p>\n
Educators, students, and families should be active co-designers, not passive users. Their involvement ensures AI tools are equitable, culturally responsive, relevant, and grounded in real classroom needs.<\/p>\n
Independent, rigorous evaluation is the bridge between research, innovation, and practice. It ensures AI-based approaches are not only innovative but effective, engaging, and impactful for all learners.<\/p>\nLearn more about our current study on Amira Learning<\/h3>
<\/p>\nStudy Overview<\/b><\/h3>\n
EVAL in the News<\/h3>
Evidence Over Hype: Building AI That Actually Works for Education in EdTech Digest
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\n<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\nContact us if you are interested in supporting our work for raising the standard of evidence in K-12 education<\/a>\n