2024 - CIDDL

CIDDList: A Year in Review

It’s hard to believe that 2024 is ending and the fall semester is over. This past year, so much has happened in special education, higher education, and technology. CIDDList readers of the past will recall that these blogs are typically lists of recommended apps, books, podcasts, or tools. Rather than our traditional CIDDList, this year’s CIDDList is a BINGO board (though we call it a CIDDL board).

A photo of Jamie Day: a female with blode hair smiling

CIDDL Research and Practice Brief: Technology Supports for Multilingual Students at Risk for Learning Disabilities

This interview highlights how to support multilingual students at risk for learning disabilities. Dr. Day notes that K-12 multilingual students often struggle with academic language, especially speaking and writing, even after receiving English language services for years. To help, she incorporates technology-based interventions into her teacher preparation program, using tools like Pear Deck to enhance language skills through opportunities to respond. Dr. Day stresses the importance of providing teachers with the time and support to use these strategies effectively, combining insights from special education and bilingual education. Her work shows how technology can tailor instruction and improve academic and linguistic outcomes for these K-12 students.

Empowering Education Leaders: A Toolkit for Safe, Ethical, and Equitable AI Integration

The Office of Educational Technology released Empowering Education Leaders: A Toolkit for Safe, Ethical, and Equitable AI Integration to address these challenges. This resource aims to guide educators, administrators, and policymakers in safely and effectively leveraging AI in schools. The toolkit features the Center for Innovation, Design, and Digital Learning (CIDDL), with Dr. James Basham, the Director/Principal Investigator (PI) from the University of Kansas, and Dr. Eleazar (Trey) Vasquez, a Co-Principal Investigator (Co-PI) from the University of Central Florida, serving as advisors for the development of the toolkit. Here is an overview of the key components of the document and their implications for teacher educators.

CIDDL Community Chat: AI for Reviewing Literature

On a recent episode of the CIDDL AI Community Office Hours on December 10th, 2024, Dr. Katie Tuck, an associate professor at the University of Kansas, shared her expertise in utilizing AI tools for literature reviews. The session covered innovative AI tools that simplify locating, analyzing, and synthesizing academic literature. This post synthesizes key insights from the event.

girl cheering with arms up in front of laptop

CIDDL’s Dr. Marino Shares Insight on the Potential of AI in Education with Edweek

CIDDL co-principal investigator, Dr. Matthew Marino, was recently interviewed by EdWeek about AI’s Potential in Special Education. Dr. Marino discussed how AI can personalize learning for students with disabilities and ease administrative tasks for educators. He emphasized the need to integrate AI with traditional teaching methods to maintain the human element in education, cautioned against over-reliance on technology, and stressed the importance of protecting data privacy. This blog post will highlight key points from his interview and explore relevant and emerging research on this topic.

Artificial Intelligence for IEP Development

CIDDL’s latest recorded webinar series highlights researchers integrating artificial intelligence (AI) for Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) development. IEPs are essential for ensuring students with disabilities receive personalized support to succeed, but creating these plans can be a daunting process. Special education teachers often face significant challenges, including navigating extensive documentation, aligning services with individual needs, and managing heavy workloads. These demands can make it difficult to focus on developing meaningful, high-quality plans for each student. By integrating AI into the IEP process, educators can streamline repetitive tasks, access data-driven insights, and allocate more time to thoughtful, individualized planning. This webinar series explores how AI is transforming the way IEPs are developed, offering practical tools and strategies as well as evidence and insights from empirical studies.

cartoon image of someone using a computer with a robot next to them

Summary of UNESCO AI Competency Framework for Teachers

The rapid rise of artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming education, presenting both opportunities and challenges for teachers. The new UNESCO AI Competency Framework for Teachers addresses the urgent need for educators to develop the skills necessary to integrate AI effectively and ethically into teaching. This framework helps teachers navigate AI’s ethical, technical, and pedagogical dimensions while ensuring that education remains human-centered and inclusive.

Teaching AI Literacy in PK-12 Education: A Guide to Preparing Students for the Future Part One

Artificial intelligence (AI) continues to impact our daily lives significantly. AI literacy, defined as the knowledge and skills required to understand, interact with, and evaluate AI technologies, has become a crucial competency for students to navigate this landscape of technology. Our previous post explored the concepts, importance, and core components of AI literacy. Building on those foundational concepts, this article focuses on practical activities for teaching AI literacy in educational settings.

A Review of CIDDL’s Presentations at TED

CIDDL recently participated in the TED Conference from November 5-8, 2024. This event convened educators, researchers, and thought leaders to discuss advancements in teacher education and innovative practices. Our team, including Dr. James Basham, Dr. Sean Smith, Dr. Matt Marino, Dr. Trey Vasquez, Dr. Angelica Fulchini Scruggs, Dr. Kait Brennan, and Samantha Goldman, contributed to the dialogue on the integration of artificial intelligence in special education, sharing research and strategies aimed at enhancing learning outcomes for all students. The conference provided a valuable collaboration and knowledge exchange platform, reinforcing our commitment to fostering inclusive educational environments. We look forward to sharing further insights and reflections from this significant gathering.

Leveraging Technologies to Support Research: A Guide for Faculty, Researchers, and Doctoral Students in Special Education

With the expansive list of technology tools, particularly those that leverage artificial intelligence (AI), navigating the complexities of research, data analysis, and inclusive teaching practices has transformed. This means access to new and innovative approaches to data analysis, a variety of tools to deepen their understanding of subject areas, and powerful resources to pass on to future educators.
This guide seeks to provide faculty, researchers, and doctoral students in the field of special education with specific tools and use cases that can be leveraged to support and enhance literature reviews, scholarly reading and writing, data analysis, and overall productivity.

Year: 2024