WMU student develops AI solutions to enhance K-12 education assessment

KALAMAZOO, Mich.—Contributing to the modernization of educational assessment, Ernest Amoateng is leading WMU's Department of Teaching, Learning and Educational Studies in the use of artificial intelligence (AI). A doctoral student in the evaluation, measurement and research program, his dissertation is integrating psychometric principles with AI methodologies to help reduce scoring bias, improve consistency and increase scalability in student assessments.

"My research looks into how well AI grading systems, especially ones using GPT, can fairly and accurately score 7th graders' creative writing assignments that ask them to really think and express themselves, not just recall facts," says Amoateng. "These skills are central to 21st-century learning frameworks but notoriously difficult to assess fairly and efficiently at scale using human raters alone."

According to Amoateng, his work is aligned with the U.S. Department of Education's and the U.S. National Science Foundation's initiatives to integrate AI into the education sector. Additionally, the work addresses critical challenges in large-scale assessment, particularly for underserved communities and high-stakes testing environments.

"These models will be piloted through federally funded evaluation projects, such as the Grand Rapids Southeast Promise Neighborhood, and are designed to reduce rater bias, increase scalability and ensure fairer assessment outcomes across diverse populations," says Amoateng.

"Together, the rigorous mixed-methods research that'll be conducted during my dissertation will offer a foundation for scaling AI scoring models across state and national education systems. Using AI responsibly will help the U.S. modernize how we assess students, shrink achievement gaps and ensure we uphold strict educational standards."

Early recognition

Amoateng received the WMU College of Education and Human Development's Rising Star-Doctoral Student Award in May 2025. The college's highest student honor, the award recognizes students who demonstrate outstanding potential in academics and professional leadership. 

"Ernest demonstrates exceptional individual merit and innovates at the intersection of educational measurement, evaluation, and artificial intelligence," says Dr. Susan Piazza, chair of the Department of Teaching Learning and Educational Studies. "I attest to the substantial merit of his work, outstanding work ethic and the need for his expertise in American educational research."

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