ChatGPT is an AI language model that uses natural language processing to generate responses to user input. Accessed on a digital device with an internet connection. Whether you’re for or against the idea of a great search engine that can answer your question fairly accurately, deny that technology has taken hold and made “work” easier for many people around the world. No. AI will not replace educational professionals in education. But, as with other disciplines, futurist Graeme Codrington says teachers who use AI could replace those who don’t. Learners who harness its power open their minds to previously unreachable knowledge. The academic game has changed irrevocably.
Gr 4 is taught in a prescribed curriculum that machines are tools to facilitate human work. Accessing and using AI innovation is a no-brainer without a few 21.st Century basics: electricity, connectivity and hardware. Add in the devastating inability of 82% of Gr 4 children to read to understand any language, and plunge into the 4th and evolving 5th Industrial Revolution is an elusive fantasy. It is no exaggeration to say that no.
Barriers to the power of AI and related careers for South African children include illiteracy, poverty, blackouts, and the cost of data and technology. Anyone looking to brighten the economic future of their country cannot help but put education at the forefront of their agenda.
develop readers
It was lifted straight up for CHATGPT when I had an input to explain why illiterate kids can’t benefit from an AI model. Here is the response:
“ChatGPT relies on the written language to communicate and provide information. Therefore, illiterate children cannot fully understand or benefit from the responses ChatGPT provides. In order to be involved in , you must first develop your reading comprehension skills.”
In March 2020, the Western Cape Education Department (WCED) rolled out a reading strategy built on six pillars: learner support, teacher professional development, research, parent engagement, resources and advocacy. Did. The pilot project targeted a specific group (Afrikaans and Isikosa learners from selected schools). In short, it worked. Using a 360-degree approach to focus on literacy levels has resulted in improved literacy rates. Funda Wande NGO and WCED are expanding the scope of this program. The estimated cost of full deployment to all learners of Afrikaans and Isikosa in the Western Cape foundation phase would total R110 913 424,00 over the next three years. Their goal is for every child to be able to read meaning by the time she is ten. This cohort is half as likely to join the tech revolution. where are the rest?
Tackling poverty and unemployment
A life of hunger and poverty cannot be ignored. More than 60% of her South African children live below the poverty threshold (StatsSA 2020). Books and readers are not a priority in their home. food is. The school feeding system is essential because no child is illiterate without food. Unskilled readers drop out of school, and the cycle of poverty perpetuates as readers lift themselves and others out of poverty. Reading is therefore important for all South Africans. As seen in the WECD research, it takes regular interventions, quality teaching materials, research, advocacy and supported teachers to bring hope to the country. The President’s Youth Employment Initiative (PYEI) has responded to this call by training thousands of young people as teacher assistants to promote and monitor reading. This is a smart, large-scale response to both the literacy and employment crises.
blackout
Educational institutions such as hospitals should seek waivers from load shedding during school hours. The sector is too quiet and accepting. The call may fall on deaf ears, but what does it say about our educational mandate if we don’t even try? In addition, alternate power sources for fuel systems, lighting, communications, and kitchens should be provided.
data and technology
If the world of work is meant to recruit people with the right skills in the next decade, the costs of learners and enrolled schools will have to be supported by large corporations. Data bundles should be inexpensive or fully funded. Devices and network infrastructure used strictly for educational purposes should be exempt from import duties and VAT. Suppliers may be held accountable or scored for “doing good” in this area.
With the emergence of easily accessible AI, robotics, and coding careers, and the demand for big data in the world of work, education reform is more urgent than ever. This is a national priority that should be realized through coordinated public-private partnerships. Perhaps ChatGPT itself stands out to comment on this issue.
“Public-private partnerships can enable technology in schools by pooling resources, expertise, and funding to provide access to technology infrastructure, training, and support services. By reaching out to underserved communities, we can also bridge the digital divide and promote equity in education.”
Come on, South Africa, leave no one behind. It is our responsibility to ensure the future of the next generation. For more information, please visit www.bellavista.org.za.
Article provided by Alison Scott, Principal of Bellavista School.
