Product Overview of Zelma
Introduction
Zelma is an innovative, AI-powered platform designed to make U.S. school testing data accessible, understandable, and engaging for a broad range of users, including educators, parents, researchers, and policymakers. Developed by the COVID-19 School Data Hub, led by Dr. Emily Oster of Brown University, Zelma aims to democratize access to state standardized assessment data, facilitating better decision-making and improved educational outcomes.
Key Features
Comprehensive Data Collection
Zelma compiles and integrates publicly-available state assessment data from all 50 states and the District of Columbia for students in Grades 3-8. This includes data on various subjects such as English Language Arts (ELA), math, science, and social studies, as well as data disaggregated by student groups including race/ethnicity, gender, and economic status.
AI-Powered Query System
The platform features an advanced AI tool that allows users to query the data using plain English commands. This AI, powered by ChatGPT, can analyze questions, process relevant data, and return answers in the form of descriptions, tables, or graphs. This user-friendly interface makes it possible for anyone to interact with the data without needing advanced statistical knowledge.
Data Visualization
Zelma provides robust data visualization capabilities, enabling users to create and view graphs, tables, and other visual representations of the data. This feature helps in easier comprehension of complex educational statistics and trends, making it simpler to communicate insights to various audiences.
Data Cleaning and Integration
The data is meticulously cleaned and integrated with key district and school characteristics from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). This ensures that the data is accurate, consistent, and ready for analysis. Users can download clean, formatted data files for further use.
Regular Updates
Zelma’s dataset is updated bi-annually, in December and June, to include the latest available data from state assessments. This ensures that users have access to the most current information available.
API Access
In addition to the user interface, Zelma offers API access, allowing developers and researchers to integrate the data into their own applications and analyses.
User Support
The platform is supported by a team of experts, including Dr. Emily Oster and her team at Brown University. Users can access expert support and troubleshooting, ensuring that any issues are promptly addressed.
Functionality
- Comparative Analysis: Users can compare scores between states, school districts, and different student subgroups. This includes analyzing scores over time and identifying patterns based on demographic identifiers.
- Data Disaggregation: The data can be disaggregated by subject, grade, and various student subgroups, enabling detailed insights into educational performance and achievement gaps.
- Embeddable Insights: Users can embed graphs and tables into their own reports or presentations, facilitating the sharing of insights with others.
- Transparency: Underneath every figure and table generated by Zelma, the SQL code used to query the database is provided, ensuring transparency and verifiability of the results.
Conclusion
Zelma is a groundbreaking tool that leverages AI to make U.S. school testing data more accessible, understandable, and actionable. By providing a user-friendly interface, comprehensive data sets, and powerful visualization tools, Zelma empowers a wide range of stakeholders to make informed decisions and drive improvements in education.