Carnegie-Mellon - PLUS | National Student Support Accelerator

Program
Carnegie Mellon University’s PLUS — Personalized Learning Squared — combines highly trained human tutors with AI-driven software to boost learning gains for middle school students from historically underserved communities. Carnegie Mellon University leads PLUS in collaboration with Carnegie Learning and Stanford University. States of Operation: Nationwide (Currently in California, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and growing) Subjects Offered: Math Grade Levels: Middle school Tutor Type: College students Setting: During school Delivery Mode: Blended and virtual Tutor-Student Ratio: 1:1 or 1:3; however, tutors may work with up to 8 students in a group. AI-adaptive software recommends when students should work independently, directly with the tutor individually (1:1), or in a small group. # of Sessions Per Week: Varies based on student’s needs and organizational capacity Number of Minutes Per Session: Varies RCT or QED Study Conducted: QED
Available Training
Training Overview: PLUS provides online evidence-based training for tutors in the form of short immersive lessons (each <15 min. to complete). Training is driven by research, encompassing five domains: Social-Emotional Learning, Mastering Content, Advocacy, Relationships, and Technology Tools. PLUS offers upfront and continuous on-the-job synchronous training and asynchronous lessons for tutors. Lessons in the app are 100% free for tutors, completely virtual, and available for tutors to complete in their own time. Training: PLUS lessons (follow instructions to register independently) Credentials: Coming soon Format: 20+ scenario-based lessons (12-15 minutes each to complete) Training Overview: Social Emotional: Engage Students and Foster Independent Learning Giving Effective Praise Reacting to Errors Responding to Negative Self Talk Supporting a Growth Mindset Using Motivational Strategies Mastering Content: Build Content and Learn Tutoring Strategies Adjusting Task Difficulty Determining What Students Know Ensuring Conceptual Understanding Using Math Vocabulary Advocacy: Promote Equity and Inclusion Addressing Microaggressions Avoiding Unconscious Assumptions Building Cultural Competence Exploring Implicit Bias Helping Students Manage Inequity Narrowing Opportunity Gaps Relationships: Nurture Relationships with Students and Caregivers Engaging Caregivers & Families Establishing Norms Generating Trust Getting to Know Students Technology Tools: Use Technology Effectively to be Organized Managing Time Effectively Recommendations/Notes: Results indicate tutors learn from the brief, scenario-based PLUS lessons, with tutors performing an average of 20% better on post-test compared to pretest. PLUS lessons aim to assist tutors with real-life situations they may encounter. For example, how to effectively: respond to a student who has made a math error avoid making unconscious assumptions about students praise students in a way that encourages continued effort support students in advocating for themselves

Program

Carnegie Mellon University’s PLUS — Personalized Learning Squared — combines highly trained human tutors with AI-driven software to boost learning gains for middle school students from historically underserved communities. Carnegie Mellon University leads PLUS in collaboration with Carnegie Learning and Stanford University.

States of Operation: Nationwide (Currently in California, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and growing)

Subjects Offered: Math

Grade Levels: Middle school

Tutor Type: College students

Setting: During school

Delivery Mode: Blended and virtual

Tutor-Student Ratio: 1:1 or 1:3; however, tutors may work with up to 8 students in a group. AI-adaptive software recommends when students should work independently, directly with the tutor individually (1:1), or in a small group.

# of Sessions Per Week: Varies based on student’s needs and organizational capacity

Number of Minutes Per Session: Varies

RCT or QED Study Conducted: QED

Available Training

Training Overview: PLUS provides online evidence-based training for tutors in the form of short immersive lessons (each <15 min. to complete). Training is driven by research, encompassing five domains: Social-Emotional Learning, Mastering Content, Advocacy, Relationships, and Technology Tools. PLUS offers upfront and continuous on-the-job synchronous training and asynchronous lessons for tutors. Lessons in the app are 100% free for tutors, completely virtual, and available for tutors to complete in their own time.

Training: PLUS lessons (follow instructions to register independently)

Credentials: Coming soon

Format: 20+ scenario-based lessons (12-15 minutes each to complete)

Training Overview:

Social Emotional: Engage Students and Foster Independent Learning
- Giving Effective Praise
- Reacting to Errors
- Responding to Negative Self Talk
- Supporting a Growth Mindset
- Using Motivational Strategies
Mastering Content: Build Content and Learn Tutoring Strategies
- Adjusting Task Difficulty
- Determining What Students Know
- Ensuring Conceptual Understanding
- Using Math Vocabulary
Advocacy: Promote Equity and Inclusion
- Addressing Microaggressions
- Avoiding Unconscious Assumptions
- Building Cultural Competence
- Exploring Implicit Bias
- Helping Students Manage Inequity
- Narrowing Opportunity Gaps
Relationships: Nurture Relationships with Students and Caregivers
- Engaging Caregivers & Families
- Establishing Norms
- Generating Trust
- Getting to Know Students
Technology Tools: Use Technology Effectively to be Organized
- Managing Time Effectively

Recommendations/Notes:

Results indicate tutors learn from the brief, scenario-based PLUS lessons, with tutors performing an average of 20% better on post-test compared to pretest.
PLUS lessons aim to assist tutors with real-life situations they may encounter. For example, how to effectively:
- respond to a student who has made a math error
- avoid making unconscious assumptions about students
- praise students in a way that encourages continued effort
- support students in advocating for themselves