eSpark, a provider of online supplemental programs for math, reading, and writing, is incorporating ai-powered phonics practice into core reading instruction this school year. This update strengthens eSpark’s strong alignment with the science of reading.
He eSpark Reading Lab It incorporates advanced speech recognition and analytics technologies into the award-winning eSpark platform, beginning with a six-week phonics study and sequence for the back-to-school season. The Reading Lab analyzes students’ speech patterns to provide detailed instruction, practice, and reporting on individual phonemes, giving teachers an unprecedented window into where students are in their reading journey.
eSpark introduced over 50,000 teachers to the benefits of generative ai during the 2023-2024 school year through Unique and personalized activities Like Choice Texts, Choice Math, and an ai-powered writing tutor, the company then focused on one of the biggest priorities in education today—teaching basic reading—and worked closely with educators to identify where they needed the most support.
“To think about having a sentence on the screen, a child reading it, and eSpark providing immediate feedback and instructions on individual sounds and how to blend those sounds together… That’s basically teaching (my students) to read,” said Michigan teacher Michelle VanGilder. “Having something like that to support kids who don’t read as much at home and have limited time in the classroom to practice is amazing.”
As educators adjust to a generation of students who are “built differently” post-pandemic, it has become crucial to differentiate instruction beyond simply leveling content. eSpark’s Reading Lab is the latest example of how technology can ease the burden on educators of time-consuming one-on-one support while fostering a love of reading with engaging, responsive, and highly personalized activities.
“Teachers spend an enormous amount of time and energy helping students learn and love reading, but it’s difficult to provide individual attention to each student in a busy classroom,” said Ray Lyons, vice president of product at eSpark. “With Reading Lab, we’re excited to offer this new technology that assesses students and provides personalized feedback and phonics support, so teachers can spend more quality time in small groups.”
A free trial of eSpark Reading Lab is now available for all first-time registrants and returning educators. Learn more and get started at https://www.esparklearning.com/product/reading-lab/.
With college admissions more competitive than ever, a team of Harvard and Johns Hopkins graduates has created a new online consultant that uses artificial intelligence to help high school students get accepted to their dream colleges — for just $10 a month.
The ai app, called Apply Genius, is designed to level the playing field for students and parents who can't afford to spend thousands (or tens of thousands) of dollars on a live college admissions counselor.
“Apply Genius answers any question you have about college admissions, personalized for you, and gives you access to the same admissions secrets that the wealthiest applicants pay $10,000 or more for,” said Michael Pankowski, Harvard graduate and co-founder of Apply Genius. “This tool is democratizing college admissions consulting, making it affordable for everyone.”
Available in the Apple App StoreApply Genius allows users to get started for free and costs just $9.99 per month for unlimited access, answering any college admissions question one might have. And the Apply Genius team offers a quality guarantee: if there is any answer that does not satisfy a user, the Apply Genius team will personally answer that question via email.
As college admission rates plummeted (Harvard accepted Only 3.6% of applicants This year, the admissions process has become increasingly confusing and stressful. A recent study national survey found that more than 60% of students feel overwhelmed by college admissions advice, and 76% of students Experience high levels of stress throughout the application process.
“Until now, only the wealthiest students and parents could afford to pay someone to guide them through this complicated and stressful process,” said Anthony Colarusso, a Harvard graduate and co-founder of Apply Genius. “Our app changes that, offering deeply personalized advice at a very affordable price.”
Apply Genius combines proprietary research and premium insights and is designed for both students and parents. This cutting-edge app is incredibly easy to use and features the following:
- A student profile that takes over 30 unique data points to personalize each response based on each student's circumstances and admissions goals.
- An open chat feature where students can ask any questions about college admissions and get personalized, expert advice instantly at any time.
- A guided chat feature where students can ask questions from the 100+ question Question Guide, packed with the most important college admissions questions, and get a personalized response.
- A chat history where users can revisit their saved chats, so they never forget the crucial college admissions advice they've received.
“To be admitted to the college they attend, students must stand out from the crowd. Apply Genius helps students do just that,” said Sean Sebastian Darcy, a Johns Hopkins graduate and co-founder of Apply Genius.
Apply Genius helps students overcome the many challenges they face during the college admissions process. These include:
- College admissions are notoriously confusing as to who gets in and why, and the internet is full of unsound and outdated advice.
- High school counselors, especially in public schools, are overwhelmed by the number of students they have to help. national average There are 385 students per counselor, and 24% of public schools I have no advisors at all.
- Consultants from private universities are expensive: their average rate It costs approximately $300 per hour and is charged a $750,000 fee for their services.
Learn more about Apply Genius at www.getapplygenius.com.
ai%2F&a=Kollegio”>ColleagueKollegio, the ai-powered platform for college applications, today announced its official launch to help students receive expert guidance for the college application process. Kollegio seeks to reinvent the infrastructure of college access, creating more equitable opportunities while dismantling existing barriers that prevent most students from reaching the best schools. Kollegio’s advanced ai tools provide personalized guidance and expert advice to empower students to craft their best possible applications. Capabilities range from helping students prioritize colleges based on a student’s career goals, GPA, and extracurricular activities, to reviewing and suggesting edits to specific admissions essays. The full launch comes on the heels of Kollegio’s recently announced $750k seed funding in June.
66% of students using Kollegio Early Access come from households earning $100,000 or less in annual income. The top 3 universities these students are looking to apply to are Harvard, Stanford, and Yale. Study 2023 A study by Harvard economists found that students in the top 1% were 34% more likely to be accepted to an Ivy League college compared to their peers with the same or similar SAT or ACT scores. One advantage that students from wealthier backgrounds benefit from is the highly personal recommendations that guidance counselors provide on their behalf. The average ratio for a public school counselor is 1:400 in California.
Kollegio works alongside students throughout the college discovery and application process. Personalized profiles help determine target schools based on their career goals and qualifications. Students have the option to freely write admissions essays and receive feedback provided by ai or they can brainstorm using common application prompts. Students can work on admissions essays at any time and receive support that best fits their unique schedule and work style. Data on important deadlines, application fees, financial aid, and over 1,600 schools is also available to help keep students informed.
“Kollegio was founded on the guiding principle that all students, regardless of their background or circumstances, should have an equal chance of getting into the schools of their dreams,” says Kollegio CEO and co-founder Senan Khawaja.
Saeed Naeem, CTO and co-founder, echoed the same sentiment: “No student with dreams of pursuing higher education should be held back because their families can’t afford the luxury that the wealthy minority can.”
For more information about Kollegio, please visit ai%2F&a=www.kollegio.ai“>www.kollegio.ai
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