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Wesley Morris

CEO & Co-Developer of iTELL — PhD Candidate at Vanderbilt University

CEO & Co-Developer

iTELL

Intelligent Texts for Enhanced Lifelong Learning

Leading the development of an AI-powered platform that transforms static texts into adaptive, interactive learning experiences — deployed across institutions with measurable learning gains.

Explore iTELL Download CV
$50K+ NSF I-Corps
22 Publications
Grand Prize NAEP Challenge
3× iTELL Awards

Career Profile

Ph.D. candidate specializing in deploying transformer-based large language models and multimodal machine learning to transform educational assessment and learning science. Leading research at the intersection of AI, psychometrics, and education with expertise in automated text evaluation, intelligent question generation, and acoustic speech analysis. Proven track record in developing scalable solutions: recipient of NSF I-Corps Grant ($50K) and multiple academic awards. Proficient in advanced statistical methodologies including Multi-Level Modeling, Item Response Theory, and Structural Equation Modeling to solve complex problems of measurement reliability and validity across research and operational contexts.

Projects

Developing cutting-edge NLP and machine learning solutions that bridge artificial intelligence and educational science. Currently leading initiatives at Vanderbilt University that leverage transformers, multimodal learning, and advanced analytics to solve critical challenges in assessment and learning.

iTELL Framework - AI-powered intelligent tutoring system generating adaptive, interactive learning experiences from static texts. Deployed across multiple institutions with demonstrated learning improvements.
MASCoT-CP (Multimodal Assessment System for Classroom Teaching) - Co-PI on NSF-funded initiative developing multimodal machine learning models to automatically classify and evaluate teacher instructional practices from video and audio data. Finalist for $150K Tools Competition grant.
Metacognitive Strategies Detection - Co-PI on project leveraging NLP and transfer learning to automatically identify and classify evidence of metacognitive thinking in student writing. Advancing measurement of higher-order learning processes.

Research Experience

PhD Research Assistant & AI Research Lead

2022 - Present
Vanderbilt University, Nashville TN

Leading multiple high-impact NLP and educational technology projects under Prof. Scott Crossley:

  • Feedback Competition Lead: Architected AI-driven essay annotation system for automated discourse-level analysis. Engineered Python/R pipelines for large-scale corpus analysis, resulting in NAEP Math Challenge Grand Prize (2023).
  • iTELL Framework Co-Developer & CEO: Spearheading development of intelligent textbook platform generating interactive, adaptive learning experiences from expository texts. Scaled to multiple institutional deployments with measurable learning gains.

21st Century World Track Lead for Tools Competition

2022 - Present
The Learning Agency

Lead strategic initiatives for Schmidt Futures-funded $5M+ Tools Competition advancing educational technology innovation. Curate, evaluate, and mentor high-potential EdTech startups in assessment and learning science. Advisory role shaping the future of AI-driven educational tools.

Graduate Research Assistant

2011 - 2013
Georgia State University, Atlanta GA

Worked under Professor Scott Crossley, helping him with data analysis, transcription, research, and essay rating according to analytic rubrics.

Highlights, Grants & Awards

NSF National I-Corps Grant

2026 - 2026
NSF

$50,000 grant for commercialization of academic tools

Owen School of Business Chancellor's Launch Grant

2026 - 2026
Owen School of Business

$23,889 grant for the iTELL startup

NSF Mid-South Regional I-Corps Pitch Competition Award

2025 - 2025
NSF

$2,500 award for iTELL customer discovery

Grand Prize Winner, NAEP Math Automated Scoring Challenge

2023 - 2023
NAEP
NAEP

Worked with a team to develop automated scoring models to predict human scores of constructed responses provided by students explaining their reasoning during the NAEP Math assessment

Montessori Teaching Certificate

2016 - 2016
Association Montessori Internationale
AMI

Completed 9-month (3 summers) in-person Montessori teacher training for elementary grades through the Association Montessori Internationale

Publications

22 peer-reviewed publications in top-tier venues (LAK, AIED, JAIRE, ACM IUI, EDM). Research focuses on the application of large language models, psychometric analysis, and multimodal machine learning to educational assessment and learning science.

  • Psychometric Analysis of LLM Differential Sensitivity to Word Predictability Using Explanatory MFRM.
    • Morris, W., Holmes, L., & Crossley, S.
    Proceedings of the Sixteenth International Conference on Learning Analytics & Knowledge (LAK '26), Bergen, Norway, April 27–30, 2026.
  • The Use of Large Language Models in an Intelligent Text Framework.
    • Crossley, S. A., Choi, J. S., Holmes, L., Morris, W., Rus, V., & Lintean, M.
    In Design Recommendations for Intelligent Tutoring Systems: Volume 12 — Generative Artificial Intelligence. 2026.
  • Assessing Fairness in Finetuned Scoring Models with Demographically Restricted Training Data.
    • Holmes, L., Morris, W., Crossley, S., & Choi, J. S.
    Assessing Writing, 68, 101032. 2026.
  • Word Predictability as a Measure of Second Language Proficiency.
    • Holmes, L., Morris, W., Crossley, S., & Choi, J. S.
    Language Learning, 76(1). 2026.
  • AI Enhanced Intelligent Texts and Learning Gains.
    • Crossley, S., Choi, J. S., Morris, W., Holmes, L., & Joyner, D.
    Proceedings of the Sixth Workshop on Intelligent Textbooks (iTextbooks '25), Palermo, Italy, July 26, 2025.
  • Using Whisper Embeddings for Audio-Only Latent Token Classification of Classroom Management Practices.
    • Morris, W., Vitale, J., & Arvelo, I.
    Proceedings of the Artificial Intelligence in Measurement and Education Conference (AIME '25), Pittsburgh, USA, October 27–29, 2025.
  • Assessing Learning in an Intelligent Text Framework.
    • Crossley, S., Morris, W., Choi, J. S., & Holmes, L.
    Proceedings of the 18th International Conference on Educational Data Mining (EDM '25), Palermo, Italy, July 20–23, 2025.
  • Uncovering Differential Sensitivity Toward Linguistic Features of Cohesion in Large Language Models.
    • Morris, W., Holmes, L., Choi, J. S., & Crossley, S.
    Proceedings of the Twenty-Sixth International Conference on Artificial Intelligence in Education (AIED '25), Palermo, Italy, July 22–26, 2025.
  • Distinguishing Effective Writing Styles in the PERSUADE Corpus.
    • Morris, W., Holmes, L., Choi, J. S., & Crossley, S.
    Journal of Writing Research, 16(3). 2025.
  • Focus Time and Writing Performance in an Intelligent Textbook.
    • Choi, J. S., Morris, W., Holmes, L., & Crossley, S.
    Selected Papers of the Educational Data Mining in Writing and Literacy Instruction Workshop, Atlanta, Georgia, USA, July 14, 2024.
  • Using Intelligent Texts in a Computer Science Classroom: Findings from an iTELL Deployment.
    • Crossley, S., Choi, J. S., Morris, W., Holmes, L., & Gupta, V.
    Proceedings of the Educational Data Mining in Computer Science Education Workshop (CSEDM '24), Atlanta, Georgia, USA, July 14, 2024.
  • Plagiarism Detection Using Keystroke Logs.
    • Crossley, S., Tian, Y., Choi, J. S., Holmes, L., & Morris, W.
    Proceedings of the 17th International Conference on Educational Data Mining (EDM '24), Atlanta, Georgia, July 14–17, 2024.
  • Automatic Question Generation and Constructed Response Scoring in Intelligent Texts.
    • Morris, W., Choi, J. S., Holmes, L., & Gupta, V.
    Proceedings of the 17th International Conference on Educational Data Mining (EDM '24), Atlanta, Georgia, July 14–17, 2024.
  • Automated Scoring of Constructed Response Items in Math Assessment Using Large Language Models.
    • Morris, W., Holmes, L., Choi, J. S., & Crossley, S.
    International Journal of Artificial Intelligence in Education, 34(4), 1551–1582. 2024.
  • Formative Feedback on Student-Authored Summaries in Intelligent Textbooks Using Large Language Models.
    • Morris, W., Crossley, S., Holmes, L., Ou, C., Dascalu, M., & McNamara, D.
    International Journal of Artificial Intelligence in Education, 34(3), 1276–1310. 2024.
  • iScore: Visual Analytics for Interpreting How Language Models Automatically Score Summaries.
    • Coscia, A., Holmes, L., Morris, W., Choi, J., Crossley, S., & Endert, A.
    Proceedings of the 29th ACM Conference on Intelligent User Interfaces (IUI '24), Greenville, SC, USA, March 18–21, 2024.
  • PILLO: An Open-Source System for Personally Identifiable Information Labeling and Obfuscation.
    • Holmes, L., Crossley, S., Morris, W., & Sikka, H.
    Information and Learning Science, 124(9/10), 285–305. 2023.
  • Measuring Second Language Proficiency Using the English Language Learner Insight, Proficiency and Skills Evaluation (ELLIPSE) Corpus.
    • Crossley, S. A., Tian, Y., Baffour, P., Franklin, A., Kim, Y., Morris, W., Benner, B., Picou, A., & Boser, U.
    International Journal of Learner Corpus Research, 9(2), 248–271. 2023.
  • Deidentifying Student Writing with Rules and Transformers.
    • Holmes, L., Crossley, S., Morris, W., Sikka, H., & Trumbore, A.
    Proceedings of the Twenty-Fourth International Conference on Artificial Intelligence in Education (AIED '23), Tokyo, Japan, July 3–6, 2023.
  • Using Transformer Language Models to Provide Formative Feedback in Intelligent Textbooks.
    • Morris, W., Crossley, S., Holmes, L., Ou, C., McNamara, D., & Dascalu, M.
    Proceedings of the Twenty-Fourth International Conference on Artificial Intelligence in Education (AIED '23), Tokyo, Japan, July 3–6, 2023.
  • Using Transformer Language Models to Validate Peer-Assigned Essay Scores in Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs).
    • Morris, W., Crossley, S. A., Langdon, H., & Trumbore, A.
    Proceedings of the Thirteenth International Conference on Learning Analytics & Knowledge (LAK '23), Arlington, Texas, March 13–17, 2023.

    Teaching Experience

    Teaching Assistant, Graduate NLP Course

    2023 - Present
    Vanderbilt University

    Lead lecture sessions and design curriculum on tokenization, embeddings, transformer architectures, and LLM fine-tuning. Mentor students on implementing and debugging Python-based NLP projects (SpaCy, Hugging Face).

    Grammar & Writing Instructor

    2020 - 2022
    CMCH Middle School

    Developed and delivered a functional grammar curriculum to improve students’ analytical writing across genres.

    Upper Primary Teacher

    2015 - 2020
    International Montessori School of Hong Kong

    Led a Montessori classroom and delivered professional development courses on English grammar and EAL instruction.

    Head of English

    2013 - 2015
    Montessori School of Beijing

    Coordinated the English department, developed a Communicative Language Teaching curriculum for ages 6-12, and created a reading instruction program. Trained teachers as a certified “How Language Works” tutor.

    Education

    PhD in Psychology and Human Development

    2022 - present
    Vanderbilt University

    I work with Professor Scott Crossley in the LEAR Lab on iTELL, a framework for automatically generating intelligent interactive webapps from static texts. I am interested in and have completed coursework (GPA: 3.9) in:

    • Structural Equation Modeling
    • Item Response Theory
    • Multi-level Modeling
    • Deep Learning
    • Cognitive Science

    MA in Applied Linguistics

    2009 - 2011
    Georgia State University

    Completed 36 credit-hours of coursework, 45 hours of observation and practice teaching under a master teacher, 90 hours of independent teaching, eight individual extra-curricular professional development experiences, and the development of a portfolio. Completed coursework in:

    • Corpus Linguistics
    • Second Language Acquisition
    • Phonology
    • Grammar/Syntax

    BA in Psychology

    2005 - 2009
    Charter Oak State College

    Graduated cum laude (GPA: 3.78). Member, Alpha Sigma Lambda Honor Society.

    Skills & Proficiency

    Python (PyTorch, TensorFlow, scikit-learn)

    R (Statistical Analysis & Visualization)

    Transformers & LLMs (Hugging Face)

    Machine Learning & NLP

    Multi-Level Modeling & Structural Equation Modeling

    Item Response Theory & Rasch Measurement

    JavaScript (Express.js, NextJS, REST APIs)

    HTML5 & CSS

    Multimodal Models & Deep Learning