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Introducing 'Mash Matters' - Transforming Your Classroom

? This Week's Highlight: AI in Education

Did you know? The term 'artificial intelligence' was first coined by John McCarthy in 1956 at a conference at Dartmouth College. Some early AI programs, like ELIZA from the 1960s, could mimic conversations with humans and laid the foundation for today’s chatbots. AI has experienced periods of immense optimism ('AI summers') and reduced funding ('AI winters'), reflecting fluctuating public and academic support. Today, AI is transforming industries, including education, by creating personalized learning experiences and automating tasks, giving teachers more time to focus on learners.

The Breede Digi Cluster schools, part of the Stellenbosch University SUNCEP enrichment program, have embarked on an innovative journey integrating Purple Mash as a pivotal teaching and learning tool. Coordinated by the dedicated Senior Project Manager, Candice Zandberg, these schools are setting a benchmark in leveraging educational technology to enhance learning outcomes.

Earlier this year, 2Simple commissioned an independent research review to identify the extent to which Purple Mash supports the aims and requirements of the National Curriculum for Computing, and how it delivers on our aim to provide excellent, accessible and inspiring software which encourages children to love learning, raises standards and reduces teacher workload. The results have now been published and these are the main findings...

The digital revolution is all around us, in the applications we use, how data is processed, all the technologies we see and read about. Embracing the changes of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (or 4IR) around us and making learners aware of the technologies, assists in preparing them with skills of the future, for the unknown world ahead!