AI Social Storytelling: Crafting Engaging Social Stories to Individualize Learning

05/31/24 • 44 min

💓The Story

Brian Carlson, founder of Storytime AI, and Erin Lamb, CEO of HASA discuss the learning impact of "social stories."

Social stories are short, personalized stories that describe a specific social situation, skill, or concept in a structured and straightforward manner. They aim to break down complex social interactions into easily understandable steps, providing individuals with a framework for understanding social cues, expectations, and appropriate behaviors.

🎯Story Takeaways

1️⃣ Social stories using AI has the potential to personalize meaningful learning experiences tailored to individual students' needs, promoting engagement, retention and generalization across diverse backgrounds.

2️⃣ Integrating AI tools like social stories requires educator control and continuous capability expansions through cross-disciplinary collaboration.

3️⃣ Safeguards and human elements like empathy are essential when using AI for educational content, driven by purpose and joy.

4️⃣ Brian & Erin’s MAGIC?

#SocialStory #StoryTimeAI #HASA #FutureOfLearning #Neurodiversity #AIineducation #personalizedLearning #LeadershipDevelopment #MAGICademy

🍀Conversation Outline

03:27 How Brian and Erin Met

05:30 Storytime AI and Adaptive Learning

07:25 The power of personalized learning plan inspired by special ed

13:22 How Storytime AI Works

16:02 The Power of Social Stories to Human Skills

24:41 How do we define effective personalized learning?

35:43 Safety Guardrails for Storytime AI

37:45 Brian's MAGIC

38:41 Erin's MAGIC

☕ Connect with Our Guest Here

With over 20 years of experience in the education technology sector, Brian Carlson is a passionate and visionary entrepreneur who believes in the power of technology to transform learning and empower people. He co-founded and led two successful edtech companies: eThink Education, a fully-managed eLearning solutions provider that was acquired by Learning Technologies Group in 2020, and now Storytime AI, a subscription-based book app and platform that allows anyone to create books and read-along videos using AI to help promote literacy and make reading more accessible to everyone. Brian is also an active advisor and mentor for several other technology startups in the edtech, AI, and social impact domains. https://www.linkedin.com/in/briancarlson2020/

Erin Lamb, Ph.D., M.S. CCC/SLP is a licensed speech-language pathologist who holds a Ph.D. in educational public policy, allowing her to use evidence from the fields of economics, sociology, education, and political science to serve HASA. Erin received both her master's and bachelor's degrees in speech-language pathology from Loyola College in Maryland and her doctorate from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. Erin worked in special education schools, early intervention settings, and in acute care pediatric settings (including the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit) and was a clinical faculty member at both Loyola University Maryland and Towson University before becoming the CEO of HASA. Erin has been recognized as one of Maryland's Top 100 Women by The Daily Record and one of the Top 10 Leaders in Diversity by the Baltimore Business Journal, among other honors. https://www.linkedin.com/in/erin-lamb44/

📚Reference

Reynhout, G., & Carter, M. (2006). Social StoriesTM for Children with Disabilities. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 36, 445-469.
Disclaimer: While we value the unique perspectives shared by our podcast guests, their views do not necessarily reflect our own. We see this as an open exploration of ideas, not an endorsement of any particular statement. Our podcast is independently produced with no involvement from employers or clients. We offer research-based resources to support further learning, but the quest for knowledge is its reward. Thank you for joining us on this journey of curiosity and discovery!

💓The Story

Brian Carlson, founder of Storytime AI, and Erin Lamb, CEO of HASA discuss the learning impact of "social stories."

🎯Story Takeaways

2️⃣ Integrating AI tools like social stories requires educator control and continuous capability expansions through cross-disciplinary collaboration.

3️⃣ Safeguards and human elements like empathy are essential when using AI for educational content, driven by purpose and joy.

4️⃣ Brian & Erin’s MAGIC?

#SocialStory #StoryTimeAI #HASA #FutureOfLearning #Neurodiversity #AIineducation #personalizedLearning #LeadershipDevelopment #MAGICademy

🍀Conversation Outline

03:27 How Brian and Erin Met

05:30 Storytime AI and Adaptive Learning

07:25 The power of personalized learning plan inspired by special ed

13:22 How Storytime AI Works

16:02 The Power of Social Stories to Human Skills

24:41 How do we define effective personalized learning?

35:43 Safety Guardrails for Storytime AI

37:45 Brian's MAGIC

38:41 Erin's MAGIC

☕ Connect with Our Guest Here

📚Reference

Previous Episode

Collective Flourishing: Design Environments to Inspire Action through Eudaemonia

💓The Story

Eudaemonia design aims to cultivate flourishing and optimal health in built environments by incorporating principles of autonomy, competence, and relatedness from self-determination theory. It focuses on workplace wellness, healthcare environments, and supporting neurodiverse individuals through tailored spaces.

🎯Story Takeaways

Eudaemonia design aims to cultivate flourishing and optimal health in built environments (digital & physical).
It incorporates principles from self-determination theory, including autonomy, competence, and relatedness.
Eudaemonia design can increase motivation & pro-social behaviors.
Virtual reality and augmented reality can leverage Eudaemonia to enhance experiences and prepare individuals, especially those with neurodiversity or other varying abilities, for the workplace.
Incorporating elements of nature and biophilia can have a positive impact on well-being.
Eudaemonia design is about connecting different disciplines, caring for pro-humanity design, embracing curiosity, and nurturing creativity.

🍀Conversation Outline

00:00 Understanding Eudaemonia Design

02:22 Examples of Eudaemonia Design

06:20 The Three Elements of Eudaemonia Design

09:33 Eudaemonia Design and Neurodiversity

18:33 Cultivating Curiosity in Eudaemonic Design

20:15 The Future Impact of Eudaemonia Design

26:34 The Role of Eudaemonia Design in a Technologically Advanced World

30:04 Thought Leaders and Startups in Eudaemonia Design

35:04 Jenna's Journey and Challenges

40:58 Jenna's Magic: Connection, Care, Curiosity, and Creativity

43:20 The Creative Elf!

☕ Connect with Our Guest Here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennamikus/

Dr. Jenna Mikus is the Founder and Managing Partner of the Eudae Group, globally advising clients across commercial, military, government, healthcare, education, and aged care sectors on transformational change in built environments designed for health and well-being, with a focus on the US, Canada, UK, and Australia. As an advocate bridging industry and academia, she holds advisory and fellowship roles at institutions like the University of Melbourne, QUT, Centre for Conscious Design, International WELL Building Institute, and Harvard University's Human Flourishing Program. Leveraging her multidisciplinary education in engineering, architecture, design, strategy, change management, and design thinking, Jenna encourages cross-pollination to create intelligent, sustainable, flourishing environments for all.

📚Read the research article:

Torsi, S., Rebek, C., Giunchiglia, B., & Giunchiglia, F. (2020). Eudaimonia and Behavior Change: Incorporating negative feelings into Game Design elements. Proceedings of the 6th EAI International Conference on Smart Objects and Technologies for Social Good.https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3411170.3411263

Eudaemonic Design as an Approach to Co-creating Health and Well-being in the Built Environment: An Exemplar Case of Older Adults at Home: https://eprints.qut.edu.au/239357/1/Jenna%2BMikus%2BThesis%281%29.pdf

Disclaimer: While we value the unique perspectives shared by our podcast guests, their views do not necessarily reflect our own. We see this as an open exploration of ideas, not an endorsement of any particular statement. Our podcast is independently produced with no involvement from employers or clients. We offer research-based resources to support further learning, but the quest for knowledge is its reward. Thank you for joining us on this journey of curiosity and discovery!

Imagine leadership not as a reserved seat at the table, but as a spark that ignites the childlike wonder, a heartfelt flame to explore and transcend perception, skill, and culture. Paired with evidence-based research, MAGICademy podcast co-explores how advancements in neuroarts, learning science, and technology are converging to empower creative, adaptable, and wonder-making leaders who transcend the limitations of the past toward collective flourishing.

Next Episode

Therapeutic Gameplay: Harnessing the Power of Immersive & Inclusive Games

💓The Story

There have been studies in this space showing how (VR) games can leverage immersion and interactivity for therapeutic applications like providing engaging distractions for pain management, simulating controlled virtual environments for exposure therapy in varied mental health conditions (stress, anxiety, etc), and creating motivating gamified exercises for rehabilitation, ultimately enhancing players’ experiences and outcomes. 😃

🎯Story Takeaways

1️⃣ Digital Therapeutics: Digital therapeutics refers to the use of software-based interventions, often delivered through mobile apps, wearable devices, or online platforms, to prevent, manage, or treat medical conditions. These digital interventions are designed to modify patient behavior, provide education, and support adherence to treatment plans.

2️⃣Games, when designed thoughtfully and with specific goals in mind, can be powerful tools for shifting our perceptions and promoting personal growth. The immersive and interactive nature of games can create engaging experiences that challenge our assumptions, encourage new perspectives, and foster positive mindsets. Here are some ways in which well-designed games can shift our perceptions toward growth.

3️⃣ Diverse cultural perspectives play a significant role in the development and implementation of digital therapeutics. As these technologies aim to provide accessible and personalized healthcare solutions, it is crucial to consider and incorporate cultural diversity to ensure their effectiveness and widespread adoption.

#ImmersiveMedicine #HealingGames #VideoGames #PowerofPlay #MAGICademy

🍀Conversation Outline

00:00 The start of immersive medicine

05:50 How games when well designed can shift our perceptions toward growth

12:59 The role of diverse culture in mental health therapy

16:06 How do we measure the impact of therapeutic games?

18:40 The future of digital therapeutics

23:51 Potential risks and guardrails: monopoly & deferred cares

31:56 Ryan's MAGIC

☕ Connect with Our Guest Here

A noted expert and innovator in the fields of mental health, artificial intelligence, and surgical robotics, Ryan has been on the frontline of major paradigm shifts in healthcare for nearly 20 years. He is the co-founder of NeuFluent and DeepWell DTx, a new video game company dedicated to creating medically therapeutic games while maintaining 'best-in-class' gameplay. Ryan has participated in the commercialization of 20 medical devices, including treatments for depression, hypertension, women's health, chronic pain, and related neurological conditions. He holds pivotal patents for medical AI, robotics, and systems and frequently achieves FDA clearance for breakthrough therapies.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanjdouglas/

https://www.linkedin.com/company/deepwelldtx

https://www.deepwelldtx.com/

📚Reference:

Eve, Z., Turner, M., Di Basilio, D., Harkin, B., Yates, A., Persson, S., Henry, J., Williams, A., Walton, G., Jones, M.V., Whitley, C., & Craddock, N. (2023). Therapeutic games to reduce anxiety and depression in young people: A systematic review and exploratory meta-analysis of their use and effectiveness. Clinical psychology & psychotherapy.
Barnes, S., Chandler, T., & Granda-Salazar, M. (2022). Help over harm: practical and ethical considerations for the evaluation and deployment of therapeutic games. Mental Health and Social Inclusion.