GIS adopts teacher-learner AI-assist
Larona Makhaiza | Tuesday March 5, 2024 12:09
Last week, the school launched ADvLearn, a platform that caters to learners at both Primary School Leaving Examinations (PSLE) and International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) levels.
Academic project manager, Darren Purdon, expressed excitement about introducing ADvLearn to Botswana after its successful launch in South Africa and Kenya. 'We are excited to be launching this platform here in Botswana as this tool can enhance teacher’s performance and students’ learning and work towards achieving academic excellence,' he said.
Despite concerns about AI potentially taking away jobs, Purdon reassured that ADvLearn aims to complement teachers rather than replace them. 'We are aware that people always raise concerns that AI takes people's jobs, but I want to put out there this platform will not take away teachers’ jobs; it will make them better teachers,' he emphasised.
Through ADvLearn, Purdon highlighted that their objective would be to ensure that every student at GIS develops in an engaging, inspiring, and challenging learning environment to the best of their abilities. He said the platform will only be for Science, Engineering, Technology, and Mathematics (STEM) subjects. 'Right now, ADvLearn is being rolled out from Mathematics Grade 7 to 12, with Physics and Chemistry being introduced to Grade 10 to 12,' Purdon added.
Explaining the features of ADvLearn, Purdon described the platform as having a portal for students, parents, and teachers, providing a means to gather data and identify challenging topics for students. He mentioned various tools within the platform, including a class dashboard, homework dashboard, class homework dashboard, delta score, ADvLearn champion, activities, pathways, school dashboard, student dashboard, and planner.
These tools aim to support learning, with some featuring a heatmap that allows teachers to track student performance and ensure no one falls behind. Additionally, Purdon highlighted the platform's benefit for visual learners, as teachers can upload videos that students can revisit if they encounter challenges with a particular topic.
He emphasised that the content on the platform adheres to education regulations and maintains a standard of quality education. Furthermore, Purdon noted that ADvLearn is accessible to students anywhere and anytime, even after the term concludes.