Dubai Heights Academy incorporates MIT AI technology

Dubai Heights Academy (DHA), an award-winning British curriculum school located in Al Barsha South, will extend a unique collaboration with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), which will see all Year 1 and 2 children given the opportunity to develop their literacy and social-emotional learning through a robot literacy station designed by researchers at MIT’s Media Lab.

The station consists of the learning companion robot, Jibo, a tablet with literacy applications and a sensor setup to collect information about the study.

Throughout the week, the children will have the opportunity to engage in literacy activities such as storybook exploration, which targets their language learning and curiosity skills, emotion regulation activities to target their social-emotional learning, and creative exploration for developing creativity.

The age-appropriate activities are designed by MIT’s experts and complement what the children are already learning in school. In their previous work in the US, the research team from MIT observed that long-term interaction with social robots greatly benefited children’s cognitive learning and social behaviours such as curiosity, growth mindset and creativity.

Dubai Heights Academy is one of the few pilot schools in the region to be utilising this technology and implementing the future of learning across all classrooms.

Alison Lamb, Principal of Dubai Heights Academy, said: “At Dubai Heights Academy, we provide educational excellence alongside a quality inclusive education system. We aim to inspire students to dream more, learn more, do more and become more through positive energy, vision and unity.

“We have a progressive, creative and engaging school with enriching programmes, state of the art technology, where every child feels secure, significant and valued.

“We draw and build on strong family ties, Islamic values and deep-rooted heritage to build a vibrant well-knit international community. Dubai Heights Academy is focused on developing knowledgeable and innovative students who can undertake the challenges of whatever the future holds.”

To learn more about DHA, please visit www.dubaiheightsacademy.com or call 04 356 3333.