StoryAI advanced in NSF-sponsored VITAL Prize Challenge Semi-Final Round

I am thrilled to announce that our project, StoryAI, advanced in the NSF-sponsored VITAL Prize Challenge Semi-Final Round. In addition to receiving 20,000 USD for developing a prototype, our team has been matched with a teacher mentor who received 15,000 USD to work with our team. Currently, we are co-designing the learning application as a team of four: Ariel Han (lead researcher), Shenshen Han (developer), Dr. Seth Corrigan, Dr. Kylie Peppler, and the teacher mentor, Gayle.

AI-based educational content creation platform to empower youth and families’ learning journey

StoryAI is an educational content creation platform for young learners that can also involve family members. It is designed to better engage English language learners, racial minorities and low-socioeconomic status (SES) households, and students with disabilities. Such engagement is critical as the U.S. deals with an ongoing literacy crisis that has only worsened after the pandemic. Average reading scores for 4th and 8th graders are declining, and 43 million American adults have low literacy skills. StoryAI helps students with narrative writing, argumentative writing, interactive storytelling, using playful literacy activities, and culturally responsive text. It helps build foundational writing skills using an inclusive design that includes text translation, text-to-speech software, and visual reading aids.

In July 2023, the National Science Foundation (NSF) announced the 54 projects advancing to the semi-final round of its Visionary Interdisciplinary Teams Advancing Learning (VITAL) Prize Challenge. Among the projects selected was StoryAI, a culturally responsive learning platform that uses generative AI to engage students in writing and storytelling. Preliminary pilot studies with the platform suggest it reduces anxiety about the writing process, enhances reading comprehension, improves writing skills, and increases student confidence in their writing abilities.

“VITAL provided us with the opportunity to incorporate marginalized learners into the design considerations of the platform on which we implemented various universal design components,” says Han. Moving forward, the team plans to “examine learning outputs and outcomes from field studies with students.” In November, Han will learn whether AIStory will be one of 18 teams selected to advance to the final round of the VITAL Prize Challenge. Finalists will receive an additional 50,000 USD in funding and the chance to compete for the first-place prize of 250,000 USD.

StoryAI Prototype

Here is the link to our team description on the VITAL website: VITAL_STORYAI You can try out our app: StoryAI_LINK

Collaboration

Please provide feedback and reach out for collaboration. Ariel Han: hanjy3@uci.edu