Two Minnesota educators have built a new AI-powered app called "Let's Get Real" that quickly adapts a single lesson plan to fit each student's needs, aiming to save teachers hours of work while better supporting kids who learn differently.
App built in 48 hours
The app was created in just 48 hours during a She Builds competition hosted by Lovable, an AI app builder, where the entire development process was livestreamed and later selected as one of three winning projects from more than 1,700 entries.
Co-creators Shannon Seaver and Jenna Zhang say they were motivated by Minnesota's low ranking in computer science education and a desire to better serve students across learning levels, according to Kare11.
"Let's Get Real" uses artificial intelligence to adjust one lesson plan into multiple versions based on students' reading levels, learning preferences, and required accommodations. Teachers upload their lesson, enter student needs, and the app generates tailored materials in minutes instead of the hours they say it would normally take to manually rewrite plans for different groups.
Focus on students with IEPs
Zhang, who serves as chief data and AI officer at the University of St. Thomas, drew on her experience as a parent of a child with an individualized education program (IEP) to shape the app's design. She says the goal is to make it easier for teachers to honor IEP goals and keep students with different needs on the same page as their classmates.
The app can instantly apply required accommodations to a lesson, such as simplified text, extra supports, or alternative formats, reducing the chance that students with IEPs fall behind because of delayed adjustments, ESchoolNews reported. Seaver, a former computer science and math teacher at Edina High School, notes that this could especially help both gifted students and those who are often left behind when instruction is aimed at "the middle.
Read more: Baltimore Police Handcuff High School Student After AI System Flags Bag of Chips as Firearm
Multilingual tools and next steps
"Let's Get Real" also offers multilingual audio narration and translation features, which can help families who face language barriers support their children's schoolwork at home. The creators say these audio and visual options are designed to bring parents more fully into the learning process.
The team plans to pilot the app in Minnesota schools next year and is inviting interested teachers to sign up for a free trial. Educators can visit the app's website to learn more about how to test the tool in their own classrooms.
The Minnesota Department of Education has listed guiding principles to help schools navigate opportunities brought by AI while addressing challenges like data privacy and equity, as per AI for Education.
