Artificial intelligence (AI) deployment imminent in Romanian educational institutions, including schools and universities.
Hey there! Let's dive into the exciting world of education tech and Romania's newest addition, Saro, an AI-powered assistant designed to lend a hand to students, teachers, and schools across Romania.
Saro, a project developed by Digital Nation in partnership with the Ministry of Education and Research, is set to tackle a few common education challenges like declining motivation, excessive red tape, school dropout, and poor class attendance. So, what exactly does this AI-pal do? Imagine starting your day with a friendly chat about your weekly schedule or important academic events, and that's just the tip of the iceberg!
In its pilot phase, Saro will be testing the waters with around 1,200 students and teachers. The goal: to boost attendance, improve academic performance, and reduce dropout rates. If all goes well, phase two will bring Saro to as many Romanian students and teachers as possible, nationwide.
But Saro isn't just there for the kiddos; it offers a helping hand to teachers drowning in administrative work. By providing up-to-the-minute, relevant information about students and identifying those who require the most support, Saro takes some of the strain off hardworking educators.
Saro isn't a newcomer to the scene; it's been built right here in Romania by Digital Nation, with an initial investment of USD 150,000. With a generous USD 700,000 grant from Google.org, the team's hard at work developing an improved, expanded version of Saro, tailored for large-scale use in Romania's education system.
So, what does the future hold for Saro? Well, it's already shown some promising results in the pilot phase of the Generația Tech program involving around 1,900 young people and adults. Those who interacted with Saro completed 28% more assignments and saw an impressive 89% increase in attendance at extracurricular events. To date, the platform has exchanged over 20,000 messages with program participants.
As Technology Minister Daniel David put it, "AI itself is neither good nor bad, but how we use it defines its nature. Our future depends on how we adapt to the new industrial revolution we're experiencing, and Saro represents an exciting step in that direction."
Google Romania Country Director Elisabeta Moraru chimed in, "AI has the potential to revolutionize Romanian society across all sectors, and education could well be one of its greatest beneficiaries. We're thrilled to support Saro, the first significant step in integrating AI into Romania's education system, developed right here at home. We're optimistic that this is just the start, and that Saro will bring about many positive changes in Romanian education."
Paul Apostol, founder of Digital Nation, added, "Personalized learning and education at scale has long been a dream. Now, we have the opportunity to offer ultra-personalized support to millions of students. [..] The Saro project, powered by a complex technological framework with over 20 AI models, addresses the urgent need to boost student motivation and attention by tailoring the educational process to each learner's pace and interests."
Digital Nation, the force behind Saro, also runs various programs like Generația Tech (which has provided digital skills training to over 10,700 Romanians aged 16 to 65), Profesor în Online, IMM în Online, Alfabetar, and more.
In summary, Saro represents an exciting leap forward in using AI to support education and empower students in Romania. Its potential impacts on motivation, engagement, academic performance, and teacher support are vast, but the true measure of success will depend on continuous monitoring, evaluation, and user research. So, let's keep our fingers crossed for Saro and the positive transformations it might bring to Romania's education system!
Saro, an AI-powered assistant developed by Digital Nation, is integrated into Romania's education system to provide assistance to students and teachers, aiming to solve challenges like declining motivation and school dropout. Currently in its pilot phase with 1,200 students and teachers, Saro aims to boost attendance and improve academic performance. With a grant from Google.org, a more enhanced version of Saro is being developed for large-scale use.
Google Romania Country Director Elisabeta Moraru expresses optimism about the integration of AI into Romania's education system, stating that Saro, developed domestically, could be a significant step in this direction. As Technology Minister Daniel David notes, the impact of AI on society depends on how it is used, and the potential benefits for education could be substantial.
Digital Nation, the creator of Saro, also manages educational programs like Generația Tech, Profesor în Online, IMM în Online, Alfabetar, and more. Through these programs, they aim to provide digital skills training to thousands of individuals across Romania.
Ultimately, the success of Saro will be measured by its continuous monitoring, evaluation, and user research, as it represents an exciting leap forward in using AI to support education and empower students in Romania.
