AdaptEd

Inspiration

AdaptEd was inspired to create a platform in response to the high rates of teacher burnout. The team recognized that teachers often experience high levels of stress and exhaustion, and they wanted to create a solution that would help alleviate some of these challenges. One member of the team, in particular, has a personal connection to this issue, as his mother is a teacher who has struggled with a burnout in the past. By building a platform that addresses the needs of teachers and promotes their well-being, AdaptEd hopes to make a meaningful impact on the education system. Their work is driven by a deep understanding of the challenges facing teachers today, as well as a commitment to improving the lives of both educators and students.

What it does

Lesson planning: AdaptEd provides customizable templates and tools to help teachers create engaging and effective lesson plans.
Grading and assessment: The platform automates grading for certain types of assignments, saving teachers time and effort. It also provides insights and analytics on student performance to support assessment and tracking progress.
Collaboration and sharing: AdaptEd offers tools to facilitate collaboration between teachers, allowing them to share resources and ideas.
Personalized learning: The platform supports personalized learning by providing adaptive learning technologies, allowing students to learn at their own pace and receive personalized feedback.
Professional development: AdaptEd offers resources and training to help teachers improve their skills and keep up-to-date with the latest educational trends.
Support network: The platform provides a community of support for teachers, offering a space for them to connect with one another and share experiences and advice.

How we built it

AdaptEd was created using a prototype design on Figma, which is a web-based design tool that allows users to create and share user interface designs. The team used Figma to create a visual representation of the platform's user interface, which they could use to test and refine their design ideas. Once the prototype was complete, the team began building the application itself using Django, a Python-based web framework for building server-side applications. Django was used to develop the backend server, which handles the processing and storage of data for the platform. For the front end, the team used React, a JavaScript library for building user interfaces. React was used to create the visual elements of the platform that users interact with, such as buttons, forms, and navigation menus. To improve the flexibility of text comprehension and extractive analysis, the team used natural language processing (NLP) techniques such as LDA topic modeling and keyword extraction. LDA topic modeling is a statistical method that helps identify common topics within a large dataset of text, allowing the team to better understand user needs and preferences. Keyword extraction, on the other hand, involves identifying and extracting the most important words and phrases from a piece of text, which can help improve the accuracy of search results and recommendations. Overall, AdaptEd was created using a combination of design tools, programming languages, and NLP techniques to create a platform that is user-friendly, efficient, and effective in supporting teachers and promoting student success.

Challenges we ran into

During the process of creating AdaptEd, the team faced several challenges that required them to adapt and learn quickly. One of the main challenges was working with Django, which none of the team members were very familiar with at the outset. As a Python-based web framework, Django has a fairly steep learning curve, and it took the team some time to get up to speed with its features and capabilities. Another significant challenge was working with machine learning, which was a new area for the team. Despite having some basic knowledge of data science and statistics, none of the team members had extensive experience in machine learning. As a result, they had to spend a lot of time researching and experimenting with different algorithms and techniques, which slowed down the development process. In addition to these technical challenges, the team also faced logistical issues, such as working in a cold and uncomfortable environment with limited sleep. These factors can take a toll on team morale and motivation, making it harder to stay focused and productive. Despite these challenges, the team persevered and ultimately succeeded in creating AdaptEd, thanks to hard work, determination, and willingness to learn new skills. Through trial and error, they were able to overcome technical obstacles and develop a platform that meets the needs of teachers and students alike.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

During the process of creating AdaptEd, the team achieved several accomplishments that they are proud of. One of the biggest accomplishments was developing machine learning suggestions that could help teachers personalize their instruction and improve student outcomes. This involved a lot of research, experimentation, and collaboration, as the team worked to develop algorithms and models that could analyze student data and provide useful insights and recommendations. Another accomplishment that the team is proud of is entering "Adapt Boost" mode. This feature uses adaptive learning technologies to identify each student's unique learning style and pace, allowing them to learn at their own speed and receive personalized feedback. This required a lot of innovation and creativity, as the team had to develop algorithms and models that could accurately assess student performance and adjust the curriculum accordingly. In addition to these technical accomplishments, the team is also proud of the platform's user interface and overall design. They worked hard to ensure that the platform was intuitive, user-friendly, and aesthetically pleasing, with a clean and modern look and feel. Overall, the team is proud of the hard work and dedication that went into creating AdaptEd.

What we learned

After creating AdaptEd, the team learned a lot about web design and development, as well as the tools and technologies that are used to build modern web applications. For many members of the team, this was their first experience working on a web design project, which required them to learn new skills and techniques for designing and implementing a user interface. In addition, the team learned more about LDA topic modeling and how it can be used to analyze and understand large bodies of text. They were able to apply this technique to the platform's content analysis feature, which allows teachers to identify and analyze key themes and concepts in their instructional materials. Finally, the team also gained a deeper understanding of Django, the Python-based web framework that was used to build the platform's backend server. They learned more about Django's architecture and features, as well as how to integrate it with other technologies like React for the front-end interface. Creating AdaptEd was a valuable learning experience for the team, allowing them to develop new skills and gain a deeper understanding of web design and development. They are excited to continue building on this experience and applying their newfound knowledge to future projects.

What's next for AdaptEd

At AdaptEd, we are always looking toward the future. Our next step is to leverage our topic model, paired with lesson plan accommodations generated by GPT, to create our own generative text model. This will enable us to curate even better and increasingly flexible accommodations for students with IEPs. Additionally, we have many other plans for material generation in the pipeline, such as developing text-to-speech files for blind and visually impaired students and creating customized graphic organizers that are specific to lesson plans. These are just a few examples of the ways we are working to further advance our technology and expand our support for students with IEPs. Our ultimate goal is to continue advancing our technology to ensure that every student with an IEP has equal access to education and the opportunity to succeed.