Advancing High-Quality Writing Feedback with Responsible AI
Modern Learners + CoGrader | IES Seedlings to Scale Grant
Modern Learners is partnering with CoGrader on a federally funded Seedlings to Scale project, supported by the Institute of Education Sciences (IES). The goal is straightforward: to improve student writing outcomes by making high-quality, personalized feedback more accessible to a broader range of learners — without adding to the burden on teachers or compromising on privacy or equity.
CoGrader 2.0: Feedback That Works in Real Classrooms
Strong writing depends on timely, actionable feedback. But teachers often lack the time and tools to give the level of feedback students need. CoGrader 2.0 addresses this challenge by integrating AI with research, design, and classroom testing.
With Modern Learners as a core partner, the CoGrader 2.0 project is focused on building a feedback tool that delivers:
- Educator-in-the-loop feedback aligned to standards and rubrics
- Prototypes co-designed with teachers and learners
- Evidence of effectiveness to guide real-world use
- Privacy and equity built into every layer of the design
Modern Learners Role: Research, Design, and Implementation
As the research and innovation partner, Modern Learners brings deep expertise across education, systems, and responsible AI. Our job is to help make sure what’s being built not only works but works in context — where learning happens.
We bring:
- Applied Research: SEER-aligned design and evidence generation
- Instructional Design: Professional learning and teacher-tested models
- Learning Systems: Implementation strategies for real-world adoption
- Responsible AI: Guardrails and governance that ensure trust and safety
Bridging Research, Technology, and Practice
This work reflects the core of what we do at Modern Learners — support innovation that actually reaches learners. We help teams design for real use, not just ideal conditions. Our contribution to this project ensures that the feedback tools being developed are not only innovative but implementable, and that they uphold the values of privacy, equity, and learner growth.
To learn more about how we can support your work, reach out to Dr. Jody Britten at jody@modernlearners.com