Agent-Based Active Reading Using a robot character to prompt active reading strategies.

Multi-Modal Prompts Audio, multiple choice, and text-entry.

Personalized Learning Branching question prompts.

Text-to-Speech Question prompts are read aloud.

Educator Authoring Embed prompts into texts of one’s choice.

Learner Data View learner prompt responses and activity.

 

Agent-Based Active Reading Promote valuable reading strategies. Reading Robot guides learners through texts by using embedded prompts that engage learners and model metacognitive reading strategies – visualize, predict,  clarify, connect, question, and evaluate. The prompts are embedded directly into the text as they finish sentences instead of waiting until the end of a chapter or book.

 

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Multi-Modal Prompts Use multiple choice, audio or text-entry.  Sometimes the best way to get learners thinking is to ask them to verbalize their thoughts. Other times, it’s best to use multiple choice to scaffold questioning. At times a written response makes the most sense. Reading Robot supports these different prompts, with more on the way…

 

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Personalized Learning Support different readers at different levels. Reading Robot supports branching questions that allow for learners to move through the prompts more quickly or with a greater amount of scaffolding of subsequent prompts and think alouds. For example we can use multiple choice prompts to guide learners to re-read specific parts of the passage or drill-down to what aspects might be confusing the learner. On the other hand we can confirm understanding and allow learners to get back to reading.

 

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Text-to-Speech Hear and read the Reading Robot prompts. Through text-to-speech technology, Reading Robot allows learners to listen to question prompts so instead of having to also engage in reading the prompts. In addition to providing a break of text parsing, using the auditory channel for question prompts allows teachers to frame guidance verbally while allowing the learner to read along.

 

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Educator Authoring Add prompts to texts of one’s choice. The idea behind Reading Robot is that teachers have the opportunity to create their own Reading Robot texts where they can import a PDF or ePUB file and add prompts through the text. Such texts can then be used by learners and educators have access to learner data, as well as the ability to edit the texts to add/modify prompts.We are currently in production of the educator authoring component to Reading Robot.

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Learner Data View learner prompt responses and activity. Important reader behaviors made by the learner are captured and provided through an educator dashboard in both aggregate and per individual. For instance, the books read, how far into a book a learner went, the prompt responses by each student, etc., are all captured and presented. Furthermore, we are working on using this data to provide feedback right to the learner such as how many words read, pages completed, and difficulty of books completed.