Our Research Focus
How Do We Build Intelligence in the Age of AI?
As artificial intelligence reshapes how we access knowledge, solve problems, and make decisions, a fundamental question emerges: How do we ensure that advances in technology also advance human learning and capability?
Aspen Grove Research, explores the science of how people learn, the evaluation and development of intelligent systems, and the evolving relationship between human and artificial intelligence. Our work examines how evidence can inform the technologies we build, the learning we design, and the capabilities we develop together.
Learning Science & Human Intelligence
Investigating how humans acquire knowledge, develop expertise, and build the cognitive capabilities that support meaningful learning. Grounded in cognitive science, reading research, and evidence informed instructional practices.
AI Evaluation & Alignment
Examining the accuracy, quality, and research alignment of artificial intelligence, and how systematic evaluation can inform the refinement of AI-Supported learning experiences.
Human-AI Collaboration & Innovation
Exploring how humans and AI systems interact, how these interactions influence thinking and decision-making, and how emerging technologies might expand or constrain human capability.
Featured Research
Generative Artificial Intelligence and Literacy Instruction
Examining Alignment with the Science of Reading
As generative AI becomes increasingly integrated into education, an essential question emerges: Does the instruction it generates reflect what research tells us about how students learn?
This doctoral study examines AI-generated literacy instruction for alignment with the Science of Reading, conceptual accuracy, and instructional patterns across foundational literacy domains.
Doctoral Research • 2026
Research-Informed Frameworks
From Evidence to Alignment
What happens when we evaluate artificial intelligence not simply by what it can produce, but by how well its outputs reflect what we know about human learning?
The Human–AI Alignment Cycle (HAAC), developed through doctoral research, offers a systematic approach to examining AI-generated instructional content, identifying misalignment with established research, and informing ongoing refinement.
ABOUT ASPEN GROVE RESEARCH
Rooted in Evidence. Growing Through Inquiry.
Aspen Grove Research is an emerging independent research initiative founded on the belief that understanding how people learn should inform how we design, evaluate, and use emerging technologies.
Founded by educator and doctoral researcher Heidi Morton, the initiative brings together experience in education, learning science, and educational technology to explore the evolving relationship between human learning and artificial intelligence.
