Problem

Artificial Intelligence in Education (AIED) has the potential to revolutionize education, but policymakers from the Global South fear that it will increase the digital divide and reduce opportunities for students in these regions. This is a significant problem because education is critical to breaking the cycle of poverty and improving economic outcomes. To address this issue, we analyzed 30 years of data on four aspects of the digital divide and proposed a solution.

Our research showed that there are significant disparities in access to technology, internet connectivity, digital skills, and content availability between developed and developing countries. These disparities create a significant barrier to implementing AIED solutions in many regions of the world. Policymakers are concerned that without addressing these issues first, AIED will only exacerbate existing inequalities.

Solution

To address this problem, we proposed the concept of AIED Unplugged. This approach involves creating AI-based educational technologies that do not require changes in current school settings or infrastructure, do not rely on stable internet access, and do not require digital skills to use them. We applied this concept by redesigning an education policy in Brazil to help students improve their writing skills.

We worked closely with stakeholders such as policymakers to understand their concerns and needs. Our team then developed an AI-powered writing assistant tool that could be used offline on low-cost devices such as smartphones or tablets. The tool provided real-time feedback on grammar, spelling, and sentence structure while also offering suggestions for improvement.

The use of AIED Unplugged to create a process and technology to help literacy development.

Impact

Reduced time, cost, and complexity of running the policy
Positive impact on more than 500,000 students in 7,000 schools in Brazil
X% increase in student writing proficiency

Team

Team Member #1 - AI Engineer
- Developed the AI-powered writing assistant tool
- Implemented the tool to work offline on low-cost devices
Team Member #2 - Education Policy Expert
- Analyzed data on the digital divide and identified key issues for policymakers to address
- Liaised with policymakers to understand their needs and concerns and proposed solutions based on our research findings

AIED Unplugged: Bridging Digital Divide in Education