Indiana university, luddy school of informatics, computing, and engineering in partnership with binghamton university will do research toward developing a program that can increase children's (3-5…

The Institute of Museum and Library Services awarded $994,130 to the Trustees of Indiana University on September 1, 2026, under the National Leadership Grants program (CFDA 45.312) to develop an artificial intelligence-integrated curriculum and supporting resources for early algebraic reasoning in young children.

Indiana University's Luddy School of Informatics, Computing, and Engineering, in partnership with Binghamton University, will produce a generative AI curriculum designed to increase algebraic reasoning skills in children ages 3–5 and to build self-efficacy in math literacy among caregivers and public librarians. Deliverables include play-based math activities, at-home math resources, a facilitation guide, webinars, and a project website. The project will create an artificial intelligence chatbot to help caregivers and librarians address algebraic misconceptions and learn scaffolding strategies. The team will develop a co-design model for generative AI–librarian collaboration in early algebraic storytimes and will measure adults' self-efficacy gains and children's algebraic reasoning development through engagement in the curriculum.

Performance occurs in Bloomington, Indiana, with a completion date of August 31, 2029. The National Leadership Grants program supports projects addressing critical needs in the museum and library fields with potential to advance practice through models, tools, research findings, services, practices, and alliances that can be widely used, adapted, scaled, or replicated.

Indiana university, luddy school of informatics, computing, and engineering in partnership with binghamton university will do research toward developing a program that can increase children's (3-5 years) algebraic reasoning, as well as caregivers' and public librarians' self-efficacy in math literacy skills. The project outcomes will be a generative artificial intelligence-integrated curriculum and resources (e.g., stories, play-based math activities, at-home math resources, facilitation guide, webinar, project website), which includes an artificial intelligence chatbot designed to help caregivers and librarians navigate algebraic misconceptions and learn scaffolding strategies they can use with children; a working CO design model for generative artificial intelligence-librarian collaboration around early algebraic storytimes; and development of adults' self-efficacy in math literacy skills and children's algebraic reasoning through engaging in algebraic reasoning.