Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) has partnered with the Gates Foundation to launch a new artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled learning collaborative, Learnvia, to support student educational experiences.
The launch follows a $55 million commitment from the Gates Foundation and builds on CMU’s long track record in learning science and AI, according to the university’s press release.
Learnvia is free to students and combines AI-enabled courseware, support for evidence-based instruction, and the power of learning research to strengthen student success and course outcomes at colleges and universities nationwide.
Particularly, Learnvia aims to help improve “outcomes in high-enrollment college courses with the potential to transform the academic and career trajectories of hundreds of thousands of learners nationwide,” according to the university.
“For decades, Carnegie Mellon University has served as a global leader at the intersection of AI, research innovation, and learning science. With support from the Gates Foundation, Learnvia is using this expertise to develop cutting-edge, AI-enabled courseware that is designed to improve outcomes at scale and help students across the nation not just endure gateway college courses but thrive in them,” CMU President, Farnam Jahanian, said.
According to the university, gateway courses derail the academic progress and degree completion for approximately 30% of students across higher education, particularly introductory mathematics courses.
Therefore, over the next three years, Learnvia will focus on Calculus I, with expansion to Quantitative Reasoning, Pre-Calculus, Calculus II, and Calculus III.
CMU said Learnvia will help faculty pinpoint where students struggle, make real-time adjustments, and better support learners who might not otherwise succeed in college-level work.
CMU reported that Learnvia’s national network currently includes faculty at 38 institutions, ranging from a five-campus community college in Texas to a private university in North Carolina serving 1,300 students, and a large public research university in California with more than 46,000 students.
Faculty and institutions can join Learnvia or participate in the Calculus I pilot via Learnvia’s website.
