Provide a one-line summary of your solution.
Games4Grades engages kids with mobile-friendly, snackable gameplay to build Math Confidence.
What type of organization is your solution team?
Hybrid of for-profit and nonprofit
What is the name of the organization that is affiliated with your solution?
SUBSUME
Film your elevator pitch.
What is your solution?
Our solution is creating a SaaS program called Games4Grades that engages young learners in critical mathematic skills through gamified learning, complimented by an AI-led engagement system. By leveraging mobile technology, we create accessible learning modules and play built upon curriculum milestones in Math, with goals of a practical understanding of Algebra and Statistics, the key to a fundamental comprehension of STE(A)M career skills. Students can initiate different learning paths based on localized learning or stakeholder-led programs that quantify learning progress and opportunities customized to young learners, as data is presented to our unique suite of Large Language Models. These models emphasize diverse learning from all students, focusing on the neurodiverse, differently abled, and students from underestimated communities traditionally in math-led careers.
Our recent prototype has been built with augmented reality gaming and geolocation services. These services can customize learning to unique physical locations, such as a park, school, or museum, and create learning experiences based on where people are in their communities.
With an emphasis on mobile technology, we see scalability and accessibility with global learners in emerging markets and ecosystems finding our program highly accessible, as trends to mobile-first use in finances, communication, and news skew towards this learning methodology.
We close with a simple fact: Kids love video games. Across genders, social classes, economics, and language, young learners find digital experiences and their perceptions of themselves in digital ecosystems part of their identities. By bringing diverse images, art, and language into their learning ecosystems through gameplay, we build a cultural understanding and acceptance that Mathematics is equally a common denominator in our sense of humanity.
How will your solution impact the lives of priority Pre-K-8 learners and their educators?
We find that talent resides everywhere, but opportunity does not. Our practical yet scalable solution to support K-8 students find their passion points in Math is to make learning accessible via mobile technology. For students experiencing poverty, particularly in Black and Latine communities, there is a direct parallel to being disproportionally represented in STE(A)M careers, and standardized test scores in Math. There is a priority post-pandemic to close the Digital Divide of learning that exists in these communities, which has only widened through the various methods of engaging students and educators the past few years. We see Games4Grades as a space where inclusion and equity is built into our code, and that AI-enabled assessments can curate new methods of learning that may translate better than traditional models with these learners. The goal to experience confidence in learning is our point of impact with our solution.
How are you and your team (if you have one) well-positioned to deliver this solution?
I am a new Ford Foundation Global Fellow for 2024. My research focuses on using AI and Gaming to end inequalities in Education and Workforce Development.
https://www.fordfoundation.org...
I created and delivered three learning Game Camp in partnership with Xbox for Atlanta, with 4th graders and adult learners across the African Continent.
https://www.xbox.com/en-US/xbo...
I have worked with educators and technologists in Lagos, Nigeria in partnership with the US State Department and US Consulate to support educational infrastructure in the country.
Our studio with SUBSUME has been dubbed the "Future of Gaming and AI" by Black Enterprise magazine for our opening of the world's first Afrofuturism Technology Salon (ATS) in Downtown Atlanta, GA.
I have created programming with Historically Black Colleges and Universities.
Which dimension(s) of the challenge does your solution most closely address?
Which types of learners (and their educatiors) is your solution targeted to address?
What is your solution’s stage of development?
PrototypeIn what city, town, or region is your solution team headquartered?
Atlanta, GA, USAIn what country is your solution team headquartered?
Is your solution currently active (i.e. being piloted, reaching learners or educators) within the US?
No, but we have plans to be
Who is the Team Lead for your solution?
Dedren Snead
What makes your solution innovative?
We utilize Gamification as a learning mode for diverse and accessible programming to be available for all learners.
Describe the core AI and other technology that powers your solution.
Our core AI focus is within the space of Machine Learning and Knowledge Representation. Our current technology relies on our connectivity with Open AI as source partners in our initial AI development and the AI Hub at Georgia Tech. We are in the early stage of the self-sufficient space of our own AI product, but it is a goal.
How do you know that this technology works?
We developed and implemented a gamified learning program under this NSF Program.
NSF Awards: 1946412
>span class="NormalTextRun SpellingErrorV2 SCXW201345282 BCX0">EPSCoR researchers, and STEM 6-12 teachers. We introduced a new PD program for our teachers, the PBL Certificate Program, which forges a more formal and active role for VI-ISERP researchers in providing support to the teachers through 1) experiential learning to both the teachers and students (i.e., field work) and 2) intensive development of place-based curriculum plans. We welcomed our first cohort in Fall 2021 where teacher-researcher partnerships were formed in mangrove restoration, coral reef restoration, and agriculture. In addition to strengthening our collaborations among VI-EPSCoR researchers, we established partnerships with SUBSUME, Microsoft, CSTA, Code.org, and the Hines Family foundation to provide a series of workshops called TechKnowledge for Teachers. This initiative, beginning Fall 2021, addresses the limited formal exposure to computer science education for teacher and students in grades 6-12 in the USVI. This partnership integrates computing and coding skills across all grade bands and subjects. A direct benefit from this collaboration with the PBL Certificate Program is the increase in teachers’ knowledge, skill, and accessible resources to bolster students’ technological skills in developing educational products.
NSF Program: EPSCoR Research Infrastructure (EPSCoR)
What is your approach to ensuring equity and combating bias in your implementation of AI?
We want to build our own Learning Language Models understanding that traditional models may have bias from sources that may not truly represent our impact audience and prospective stakeholders. Our work was founded on the premise of "Jim Code", and the issue with restorative data sets not being delivered in many contemporary solutions. We want to build upon our learning of this in digital gaming to build an expertise in this space.
How many people work on your solution team?
Currently, I operate this program as a solo founder of Games4Grades, with our creative technology studio SUBSUME Media, Inc. in Atlanta, Georgia. We currently work with 1099 contractors for coding and development and through partnerships with Morehouse College, Spelman College, Georgia Tech, and Georgia State University for research and development.
How long have you been working on your solution?
Our organization has been working on this solution for four years.
If your solution has a website or an app, provide the links here:
https://www.subsumestudios.com/
What is your plan for being pilot ready (if not already) within the next year, and what evidence can you provide that you are on track to meet your goals?
We are already piloting and have dedicated our current workflow to this opportunity to serve.
What are your plans to ensure your solution is available, accessible, and affordable to priority learners at scale?
We plan to leverage our accessibility with the Ford Foundation to find sustainable partnerships and make our program available to global learners at scale.
Why are you applying to the Learner//Meets//Future Challenge?
We need the resources and expertise to develop our prototype fully and bridge our efforts into impact areas.
In which of the following areas do you most need partners or support?
Solution Team
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Dedren Snead Founder, SUBSUME
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What is the name of your solution?
Games4Grades