About
Inq-ITS is a patented AI educational platform developed by university researchers and funded by the National Science Foundation and the U.S. Department of Education. It places students at the center of scientific inquiry by walking them through structured virtual lab investigations — forming hypotheses, designing controlled experiments, collecting and analyzing data, and writing Claim-Evidence-Reasoning (CER) statements. At the heart of the platform is a suite of patented data-mining algorithms that automatically assess student work in real time, identifying when students fail to test their hypotheses, neglect controlled investigation design, or struggle with data analysis. Rex, an AI virtual tutor, provides students with immediate, personalized guidance as they move through each lab activity. For teachers, Inq-ITS delivers a powerful dashboard with automatically generated, fine-grained performance reports at both the class and individual student level. A mobile-compatible alert system notifies teachers in real time about which students need help and on which specific inquiry skills — enabling timely, targeted instruction. All labs are NGSS-aligned and available in both English and Spanish, making the platform accessible to diverse student populations. The platform is designed for middle and high school science classrooms and has demonstrated measurable improvements in state science test performance. A 30-day free trial is available for educators who want to explore the platform before purchasing.
Key Features
- AI Auto-Graded Virtual Labs: Patented algorithms automatically assess student investigations, hypothesis design, data collection, and analysis in real time — eliminating manual grading for teachers.
- Rex AI Virtual Tutor: An embedded AI tutor named Rex provides students with personalized, real-time guidance as they work through inquiry-based lab activities.
- Real-Time Teacher Alerts: Teachers receive instant mobile and desktop notifications identifying which students need help and on which specific inquiry skills, enabling timely intervention.
- NGSS-Aligned Bilingual Labs: All virtual lab activities are aligned to Next Generation Science Standards and available in both English and Spanish to support diverse classrooms.
- Claim-Evidence-Reasoning (CER) Support: Students are guided through writing CER statements, reinforcing scientific communication skills alongside data analysis and investigation design.
Use Cases
- Middle and high school science teachers assigning NGSS-aligned virtual lab investigations as in-class or homework activities.
- Science departments using automated grading and performance dashboards to track student mastery of inquiry skills across a grade level.
- Bilingual and ESL classrooms leveraging Spanish-language lab support to keep science instruction accessible to English Language Learners.
- Instructional coaches and department chairs using Inq-ITS reports to identify school-wide gaps in scientific reasoning and guide professional development.
- Students practicing hypothesis formation, controlled experiment design, data analysis, and CER writing with immediate AI-driven feedback.
Pros
- Research-Backed & NSF Funded: Developed by university researchers with sustained funding from the National Science Foundation and U.S. Department of Education, ensuring evidence-based pedagogical design.
- Bilingual Instruction Support: Full platform availability in English and Spanish makes it accessible to English Language Learners and diverse student populations.
- Saves Teacher Time: Automated grading and real-time reporting reduce the administrative burden on teachers, freeing them to focus on instruction and individual student support.
- Proven Classroom Impact: Teachers report measurable improvements in student science achievement, including one school where nearly 70% of students met or exceeded state science tests.
Cons
- Science-Only Subject Coverage: Inq-ITS is exclusively focused on science education and does not extend to other STEM or non-STEM subject areas.
- Subscription Required After Trial: Full access requires a paid purchase after the 30-day free trial, which may be a barrier for under-resourced schools without dedicated EdTech budgets.
- Web-Only Platform: The platform is browser-based with no dedicated native apps, which may limit flexibility in low-connectivity or device-restricted school environments.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Inq-ITS and how does it work?
Inq-ITS (Inquiry Intelligent Tutoring System) is an online science education platform where students conduct virtual lab investigations. It uses patented AI algorithms to automatically assess student work and provides real-time tutoring and teacher alerts.
Is Inq-ITS aligned to educational standards?
Yes, all Inq-ITS virtual labs are aligned to the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), ensuring content is appropriate for modern K-12 science curricula.
Does Inq-ITS support non-English speakers?
Yes, the platform is fully available in both English and Spanish, making it suitable for bilingual classrooms and English Language Learners.
How do teacher alerts work in Inq-ITS?
As students work through labs, Inq-ITS analyzes their performance in real time and sends alerts to teachers via desktop or smartphone when a student needs help, specifying which inquiry skill requires attention.
Is there a free trial available?
Yes, Inq-ITS offers a 30-day free trial so teachers can explore the platform and try it with their science classrooms before committing to a purchase.
