Tag: education innovation

Year 2 Periodic Report of the Project

Written by iread4skills on March 17, 2025. Posted in News.

iRead4Skills has just released its Year 2 Periodic Report, highlighting significant progress in the development of intelligent tools to improve literacy in adults with low reading skills.

Aiming to make reading more accessible and effective for Adult Learning (AL) and Vocational Education and Training (VET) learners, the initiative has been combining artificial intelligence (AI) and natural language processing (NLP) to classify texts according to their complexity and create innovative reading support solutions.

Key Achievements in the Second Year of the Project

📌 Creation of a specialized linguistic corpus in Portuguese, Spanish, and French, classifying texts by complexity levels for further analysis.
📌 Development of the Intelligent Complexity Analyzer (ICA) API, an innovative system that allows evaluating text readability, identifying complex linguistic patterns, and providing recommendations adapted to users’ literacy levels.
📌 Adoption of machine learning models capable of predicting and automatically classifying the reading difficulty of different types of content.
📌 Co-creation workshops with trainers and learners to validate and improve tools, ensuring they meet the real needs of the target audience.
📌 Strengthened collaboration with policymakers and training institutions, ensuring the practical implementation of developed solutions and their integration into educational programs.
📌 Promotion of Open Science, ensuring that collected data and developed methodologies are accessible to researchers and educators.

The Year 2 Periodic Report is now publicly available and can be accessed via the link: https://zenodo.org/records/15038440

iRead4Skills Presented to High School Students in Galicia

Written by iread4skills on March 10, 2025. Posted in News.

On February 20, 2025, the team from the University of Santiago de Compostela (USC), represented by Marcus Garcia Gonzales and Sandra Rodriguez Rey, presented the iRead4Skills project to 12th-grade high school students in Galicia.

During the session, students were introduced to the tools developed as part of the project, aimed at improving reading and writing skills through artificial intelligence. The presentation included a live demonstration of the Text Classifier by Level of Complexity and the Writing Analyzer/Assistant, allowing participants to explore their potential use in education.

This initiative provided an excellent opportunity to engage students in discussions on technology and education, sparking interest in how digital tools can support learning.

The iRead4Skills project remains committed to educational innovation, integrating feedback from teachers and students to refine its applications.

iRead4Skills Co-Creation Workshop

Written by iread4skills on March 10, 2025. Posted in News.

On February 17, 2025, a co-creation workshop was held at NOVA University Lisbon to refine the features and requirements of the applications being developed under the iRead4Skills project: the Text Classifier by Level of Complexity/Difficulty and the Writing Analyzer/Assistant.

The event brought together 12 teachers from various schools and adult education centers who had previously participated in project activities. The session began with a general presentation of iRead4Skills by Raquel Amaro, outlining its objectives and strategy. This was followed by a conceptual overview of the tools presented by Jorge Batista, including a practical demonstration of the Text Classifier, which evaluates text complexity and visually represents vocabulary difficulty.

During the session, guidelines were presented on complexity factors and recommendations for adapting texts to the desired level. Participants also explored the Writing Analyzer’s approach to text evaluation and the different recommendations it provides.

The discussion was highly engaging, with participants raising relevant questions, sharing experiences, and providing constructive feedback. Overall, the tools were well received and considered valuable resources for supporting literacy education. Teachers also emphasized the importance of usability, accessibility, and pedagogical adaptability.

The iRead4Skills co-creation workshop served as a crucial opportunity for dialogue, ensuring that the tools being developed align with the real needs of educators and learners.

Regina Duarte (MEC team) Discusses Literacy, AI, and Lifelong Learning in New Interview

Written by iread4skills on March 6, 2025. Posted in News.

The iRead4Skills project highlights a recent interview with Regina Duarte, Commissioner of the National Reading Plan 2027 and a key member of the iRead4Skills team, published on EPALE – the Electronic Platform for Adult Learning in Europe. The interview explores the role of literacy in the digital age, the impact of artificial intelligence on education, and the challenges and opportunities in adult learning.

Duarte emphasizes the growing integration of digital tools and AI in literacy education, particularly in Portugal’s national strategies. She discusses how these technologies can support adult learners, improve access to reading materials, and enhance learning outcomes. The conversation also highlights the importance of collaborative efforts between educators, policymakers, and literacy projects like iRead4Skills in addressing existing gaps in adult education.

The interview provides valuable insights into how digital transformation is shaping the future of literacy education. It underscores the need for accessible learning materials, effective teacher training, and policies that encourage digital inclusion.

The full interview is available on EPALE: https://epale.ec.europa.eu/en/blog/interview-regina-duarte-mecpnl-portugal