• AI teachers: Improving teachers' competencies through an AI driven assessment program

• In Event: Enhancing Mathematics Instruction in Sub-Saharan Africa: Localized, Evidence-Based Approaches

Proposal

This pilot project is a collaborative effort between three African organizations in Tanzania, Ghana and Cameroon, and aims to address critical challenges in education systems in Ghana and Tanzania, characterized by high pupil-teacher ratios and difficulties in adopting competence-based curricula, leading to suboptimal learning outcomes, particularly in numeracy (NaCCA & MOE, 2019). To tackle these issues, the project consists in the development and testing of a data-driven AI-powered platform designed to assess students, support teachers, and ultimately enhance numeracy skills for learners in Class 1-3 (Ghana) and Class 1-2 (Tanzania).
The core of the intervention lies in providing teachers with real-time data, targeted resources, and AI-driven insights, facilitating differentiated instruction and assessments. The program's objectives encompass providing comprehensive training and resources for teachers using the AI platform, supporting them with data and AI insights, piloting the platform to evaluate its effectiveness and address digital access disparities, and ultimately improving student outcomes through a data-driven approach.
The approach involves developing the AI-powered platform, providing ongoing teacher training and resources for effective utilization of eLearning content, supporting 50 teachers in Ghana and Tanzania with data, resources, and AI insights, and piloting the platform to evaluate its impact and address digital access gaps. The program uses bite-size content with engaging features to improve numeracy competencies.

The effectiveness of these features is assessed based on student learning outcomes and teacher feedback. A comprehensive data management system is integrated within the platform. The methodology to evaluate teacher behavior in this context involves a mixed-methods approach, including quantitative measures, such as the frequency and quality of assessment-informed instruction provided after receiving AI feedback, tracked through classroom observations or teacher self-reports. The methodology also incorporates qualitative data, including teacher interviews and focus groups, to gain deeper insights into their perceptions and experiences of using AI feedback to inform their instructional practices. This multifaceted approach provides a comprehensive understanding of how teachers receive and utilize AI-generated insights to address student challenges in numeracy.
The project will be completed by December 2024 (results are not yet available to include here) and success will be measured according to key indicators measuring changes in teachers’ pedagogical knowledge and effective use of AI tools, self-efficacy and student engagement, and student numeracy outcomes.
In this presentation, we will showcase how this research seeks to harness the potential of artificial intelligence to address pressing educational challenges in Ghana and Tanzania. By empowering teachers with data-driven insights and personalized learning tools, the program strives to improve numeracy skills and create a more engaging and effective learning environment for students. The goal is to foster a generation of learners equipped with the essential numeracy skills needed to thrive in the 21st century.

Authors

• Ikunyigulila Lazaro, Shule Direct

• Kobina Boamah, Lead For Ghana

• Tebo Marcline Timben, eBASE Africa