Creating Safer Schools in the City and grooming sustainable beings with M-Teto:
M-TETO: THE PROPOSED INTERVENTION
M-Teto is an educational mobile application and school-based intervention which teaches law, social fabric values and protective behaviours to children in basic education using artificial intelligence and gamification. Further, in order to monitor that learning objectives are being reached, the application uses segregated big data and artificial intelligence to understand the user/child’s learning needs and ensure/monitor that those needs are being met; as well as to measure the impact of the intervention for external stakeholders. Lastly, M-Teto uses a customised search-engine to search and locate relevant legal and non-legal service providers (also known as "Helpers"). These children learn more about these Helpers and their services and then view them on a map in order to determine their relative distances from the users’ current location. If the child needs to, they can use this information to contact these Helpers/ Service providers.
M-Teto is derived from the isiZulu word “uMthetho” which means “the law” or “how things should be”.
Through the M-Teto intervention, children are immersed in a virtual world and consequently fostered to understand, analyse and/or change their own behaviour/attitudes or avoid violent behaviour; as well as to positively influence the behaviours/attitudes of the rest of the community once they grow older. They will also be equipped with the appropriate behaviour and attitude required to live peacefully in a democratic society. Further, they will be equipped with the tools required to become empowered potential victims and bystanders of gender-based violence in and around their schools and beyond.
The direct intended long-term impact of the M-Teto intervention is to reduce incidences of gender-based violence (rape/ molestation, femicide, human trafficking, sexual harassment, bullying, etc) which take place in and around the schooling context. In addition to this, the intended long-term impact is to adequately/effectively respond to and prevent the public health/economic consequences and public health/educational consequences of gbv. These consequences include unwanted child pregnancy and back-street abortions, unwanted child pregnancy, HIV and Tuberculosis, related school-drop outs, unsafe schooling environments, deaths/femicide, wounds, mental illness and suicides. This is intervention is merges engineering with law and education to respond and prevent school-based gender-based violence which is a global public health risk. Therefore, M-Teto is in line with the United Nations SDGs #3, #4, #5, #9, #10 and #16.
M-TETO IS UNIQUE IN THE FOLLOWING WAYS:
- M-Teto is a mobile and gaming application. This allows the child’s learning experience to be unlimited. While they have a structured curriculum, they can choose to learn more on their own if they wish to do so. There is little influence or intervention; and the teacher acts as a facilitator instead of an educator.
- M-Teto collects de-identified big data on the user in order to understand what their knowledge base is, how they learn, and their background/ profile category. This means that teachers can now have a better understanding of the learner and easily teach/ facilitate them in accordance with their independent learning needs/profile category. The data is also used to monitor and evaluate the impact of the intervention for the purposes of governmental or non-governmental stakeholders who wish to use the data to make critical decisions regarding school-based gender-based violence and public health.
- M-Teto allows the users to enter into a virtual/gaming world in order to teach the user about the law, protective behaviours and social fabric values. This style of learning allows children to practically apply their knowledge without pressure.
- The game goes on to reinforce and test the user to ensure understanding and retention of information. The game does so by using segregated big data and machine learning. The game teaches the user in the best way that the user knows how to learn. The user learns in their own way and at the own pace. But, the knowledge and understanding is universal for all.
- Finally, after the child is taught, they are provided with a customised search engine with gps system. This search engine allows the user to search, locate and view legal and non-legal service providers. The search engine is customised, which means that is made especially for young children. The content speaks to them. This search engine allows for justice to be accessible to children like never before. They can visit bespoke web pages of 'Helpers' who can help them if they need it or connect with 'Helpers' who can answer their questions. This search engine enables children with a ‘real-life’ tool that they can use to deal with real life situations. Unlike most educational environments that do not enable children to practically apply knowledge. Therefore, children increase their knowledge base and then enabled to prevent or to respond.
- This entire intervention was created using the ‘Public Health Approach’ of the World Health Organisation. Therefore, while it is a response and prevention method to a public health crisis, it is also applying various disciplines such as law, education, psychology and engineering.
For more information, please see below links to the pitch deck and youtube video:
- https://prezi.com/view/WSdRq35DLk4n75dBPb3C/
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vUAn4Clnga4&feature=youtu.be
Comments