Teachers at hundreds of schools across the UK are using artificial intelligence to combat a loss of learning due to Covid-19.
They include nearly 250 primary schools that have incorporated a virtual tuition program, into their education delivery, that uses artificial intelligence to deliver tailored maths lessons to individual pupils.
Virtual tutors can be used as part of a blended learning model, as well as incorporating Maths-Whizz into the classroom, children can learn from home in the event of further lockdowns whilst the platform enables teachers and parents to set lessons and monitor results.
Mandy Jones, Executive Headteacher at Criftins C of E Primary School in Ellesmere, Shropshire, said that an artificial intelligence (AI) program called Maths-Whizz had enabled the school to continue with vital lessons during lockdown.
“It is the perfect educational tool for us because the AI element of the program helps us to meet the needs of every pupil, from the most able children to those who require extra support,” said Ms Jones.
“From a teaching perspective, it gives us the best of both worlds because whilst a virtual tutor engages with the children we continue to have human control and receive constant feedback. It means we can plan ahead in the event of any future regional lockdowns.”
The program is supplied by Whizz Education, one of a number of education specialists, with experience in Education Technology, who are accredited to BESA (the British Educational Suppliers Association).
Whizz Education recently gave written evidence to a select committee inquiry into the impact of Covid-19 on education and children’s services. The company called for the Government to adopt virtual tuition as a complementary tool alongside human tutors as part of the National Tuition Programme.
In a submission to the Education Committee, Richard Marett, CEO of Whizz Education, wrote: “The feedback we receive from schools and families informs us that products like Maths-Whizz should feature in contingency planning and will ensure the resilience of the education sector in case of any future national emergency if properly funded and integrated.
“Our technology has lessened the educational burden of COVID-19 on students and teachers over the past few months, according to our data and parent and teacher testimonies. Most notably, our data shows a usage spike by UK users in the weeks immediately following the closure of schools on 23 March with an increase of 50% in the time spent using Maths-Whizz between the last week of February and the last week of March.”
Earlier this year, the Government announced a £1billion Covid-19 catch-up investment for education, which the Institute of Fiscal Studies has calculated as being worth around £80 per pupil. The challenge for education professionals is therefore to make these funds work at scale.
The Whizz Education submission to the select committee added: “The impact of funding by the Department for Education (DfE) will be maximised if human and virtual tutors are used in conjunction during this initiative and when students return to the classroom.
“A mixed-tutor approach will save the time and energy of human tutors, prevent burnout and overreaching, and increase the sustainability of educational relief efforts at a fraction of the cost. An annual subscription with Maths-Whizz costs the equivalent of one hour of private tutoring. The EEF (Education Endowment Foundation) toolkit estimates that it costs £700 to tutor one child for 12 weeks, but Maths-Whizz can produce comparable results for an annual subscription of £149.” This cost is considerably less when purchased at scale within a school.
