Integrating AI Thoughtfully in the Classroom
To imagine AI tools that integrate smoothly into classroom settings, especially with young students, without overwhelming or distracting them. The interface needed to offer clear guidance, helping users distinguish AI-generated information from traditional content without creating confusion.
Classroom Dynamics with Generative AI
We aimed to elevate classroom experiences by leveraging generative AI’s ability to produce content rapidly and in bulk, offering diverse and immediate feedback that traditional methods cannot match. This approach helps lighten the teacher’s workload, introducing dynamic, real-time support.
Slider exploration 1

Slider exploration 2:
Gradient + 4-dimensional Slider

Slider exploration 3:
Parameter Visualization
Testing module
Purpose of the tool
“Defining and breaking down a word and seeing which one is better in that situation."
“Helping those that struggle with reading understand words better and understanding different vocabulary, different meanings. And for more advanced readers, it will help build vocabulary…”
"Learning new words, or maybe adding long words or short words to a sentence."
“Changing what you're reading to your level. You can make the vocab longer or shorter, harder or easier."
"If you need a certain word for something, like if you need a word that's hard to say or that's long.. like in essay writing"
“Revising an essay or a paragraph.. and changing the smoothness and steadiness of the paragraph."
Ease of Use
4.15
/
5
Understandability
4.33
/
5
Engagement
4.0
/
5
Testing with Middle School and High School Students
One student from each grade level: 6th through 11th from Florida, Indiana, New York, California, Tennessee, Oklahoma.
Purpose of the tool
All 4 teachers articulated that the tool was a vocabulary-focused tool that could be used with reading activities.
2 teachers mentioned the power of using a tool like this to support struggling readers and support differentiation goals.
Imagined Use Cases
Teachers said that this tool could be great for class discussions about: Figurative language, Understanding the role of vocabulary in dialogue, The relationship between related words, Connotation and denotation, Paraphrasing a text
Imagined Use Cases
Supporting struggling readers or ELL students on a complex text, differentiating reading activities for students, close reading activities, helping build vocabulary knowledge and understanding words with multiple meanings, fluency practice (if there were audio)
Imagined Use Cases
Reviewing exemplar student writing, analyzing word choice, supporting students in being more descriptive and vivid in their writing, revising writing, rewriting a story, summarizing a text
Imagined Use Cases
Evaluating word choice in writing (Tier 1, 2 or 3 words), examining an author's word choice, analyzing word structure (root words, prefixes, suffixes), exploring target vocab words for a lesson
4 middle school ELA teachers: 6-8th ELA - Georgia, 6-7th ELA - Massachusetts, 6-8th ELA - Wisconsin, 6th-7th ELA - New Jersey
Feedback < = > Iteration
Credit
Amplify
Wrong Answer Lab
Schoooool
Engineering: Nicky Tesla
Design Direct: Andrew Herzog
Designer: Val Yang