National Research on AI-era Pedagogies

Dr. Robert Marzano and Dr. Sonny Magaña are selecting 30 middle school educators nationwide to participate in a landmark effect-size study on Agentic AI in the classroom — powered exclusively by Curriculum Genie.

Apply to Join the Cohort Learn More about Agency-Based Learning

Cohort Benefits

The first national effect-size study measuring Agentic AI's impact on real student outcomes.

World-Class Mentorship

Professional development led directly by Marzano & Magaña.

Cutting-Edge AI Research

Participate in the first national effect size study on Agentic AI pedagogies.

Published Academic Credit

Earn co-author recognition on the final national meta-analysis.

The Study Design

Measuring national student impact across two core pedagogical frameworks:

The Passive-Consumption Gap

Today's students already interact with AI naturally—but most classroom use channels that fluency into passive consumption rather than deep learning. Traditional baseline units treat technology as a content-delivery tool, leaving student agency, self-regulation, and task ownership underdeveloped.

Without a pedagogical framework built for co-creation, districts adopting Portrait of a Graduate skills lack a way to measure whether AI is actually strengthening student agency.

AI-Native Unit (Curriculum Genie)

A landmark effect-size study led by Dr. Robert Marzano and Dr. Sonny Magaña, measuring how Agency-Based Learning (ABL) and Place-Based Learning (PBL) strengthen student agency and deepen learning

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Middle school educators co-design an advanced unit in Curriculum Genie, then measure it against a traditional baseline. That gap, tracked through pre- and post-assessment analytics and the validated HOPE scale, is the effect size.

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Why This Study Matters

The first national effect-size study measuring agentic AI's impact on student agency and real learning outcomes

1

Agency-Based Learning

The study puts Agency-Based Learning at its core—measuring how students move from passive AI users to agents who set goals, co-create, and self-regulate. Every unit is built to strengthen student ownership, and that shift is exactly what the effect size captures.

2

National Scale

Up to 30 middle school educators from across the U.S. run the same study protocol in their own classrooms, generating the first nationwide dataset on how agentic AI shapes student agency in real learning environments.

3

World-Renowned Researchers

The study is led directly by Dr. Robert Marzano and Dr. Sonny Magaña, who design the methodology, guide baseline assessment, and mentor participating educators through every phase of the research.

4

Published Results

Findings are compiled into a national meta-analysis, and participating educators earn co-author recognition—turning their classroom work into a publishable contribution to AI-era pedagogy.

Trusted by Educators Nationwide

Practitioners already using Agency-Based Learning in their classrooms

"I'm already thinking about my next step sand rolling it out to our coaches who can start using this for their PL and start working with our teachers on it. It's great!"

Kim Beckwith

Program Manager ll, Preschool, Fresno USD

"Learning Genie builds full, detailed units-not just lesson plans-with all the components teachers need. It still takes hours with many other Al tools, but this streamlines the whole process."

Matt Miller

Author, Ditch That Textbook

"CG doesn't just help teachers save time-it enhances instructional quality. Everything is in one place, and the process supports meaningful collaboration while honoring learner variability in every classroom."

Robert Mayfield

Social Studies Department Chair at Ripon High School

"Other Al lesson planners do parts of this, but they don't do it all. The depth and usability here is unlike anything else. What blew me away is how adaptable it is. It even includes English learner supports and suggests engagement strategies based on student needs."

Christina Miramontes

Science Ecology Teacher at Cielo Vista Charter; EduProtocols FieldGuide: Science Edition Author; NGSS Core Leader & Early Implementer

"The ability to customize lessons for IEP students and English learners, while embedding cultural responsiveness, is incredibly powerful. This tool gives teachers a head start in creating inclusive learning environments."

Tammy Flowers

Assistant Director of Early Childhood

"Learning Genie supports child-led interactions, which aligns with recent findings that peer-to-peer engagement yields better long-term outcomes than teacher-led instruction."

Denise Polt

Elementary School Principal