VIABLE Lab Receives Gates Foundation Grant for AI-Powered Math Learning
Dr. Rahimi, Dr. Anthony Botelho, and Dr. Closser secure $451,563 Gates Foundation grant to develop AI-powered productive failure learning platform.
The VIABLE Lab, in collaboration with Dr. Seyedahmad Rahimi and Dr. Avery Closser, has been awarded a $451,563 grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to develop an innovative AI-powered mathematics learning platform called ProductiveMath.
Project Overview
The project, titled "PRODUCTIVE: AI Math Problem-Solving Platform for Productive Failure," aims to revolutionize mathematics education by implementing the productive failure teaching method through artificial intelligence. This innovative approach, developed by Dr. Manu Kapur, intentionally allows students to grapple with challenging problems before receiving direct instruction, leading to deeper understanding and stronger foundational knowledge.
Key Features of ProductiveMath:
- AI-powered problem generation tailored to student needs
- Real-time support for teachers during implementation
- Adaptive feedback systems for student engagement
- Tools for facilitating productive classroom discussions
Research Team
The project brings together a strong interdisciplinary team:
- Dr. Seyedahmad Rahimi (PI) - Expert in educational games, stealth assessment, and STEM learning analytics
- Dr. Anthony Botelho (Co-PI) - Specialist in learning analytics, AI in education, and educational data mining
- Dr. Avery H. Closser (Co-PI) - Expert in learning sciences, educational technology, and cognitive psychology
Impact and Innovation
The ProductiveMath platform addresses a critical need in mathematics education by making the productive failure approach more accessible to teachers. The platform will use generative AI to create engaging, narrative-based math problems that match students' knowledge levels and interests while supporting teachers in implementing this evidence-based teaching method.
"Productive failure has been shown to be quite effective, but very few teachers have used it because it's difficult to generate math problems that are suitable for this approach. So we are using generative AI to create those problems and to help teachers facilitate the instructional discussions that are vital to the process."
Future Directions
While initially focused on mathematics education, the team envisions expanding the platform to support other subjects and languages in the future. The grant from the Gates Foundation will specifically support the development of teacher-facing components, making the platform more practical and accessible for educators.