Nyansapo AI

Who (first and last name) is the Team Lead for your application and LEAP Project?

Mumbe Mwangangi

Describe the role the Team Lead plays in your organization. [100-200 words recommended]

The roles of the head of programs include:

- Establishing and maintaining partnerships with various stakeholders, such as government agencies, NGOs, and schools, and ensuring alignment of our assessment goals, learning plans, and results dissemination with their needs and expectations.

- Supporting the Nyansapo team and partners in designing and executing learning plans, including piloting and testing new features and evaluating the impact of the Nyansapo App on children's learning outcomes.

- Developing and sharing best practices and research insights on improving literacy and numeracy skills and scaling up our approach to reach more communities.

- Co-leading the business development strategy and activities for the organization in accordance with our vision and mission.

- Working closely with the co-founder to support the overall management and direction of the organization.

Explain how your Team Lead and supporting team members are well-positioned to effectively support the LEAP Project, given other priorities within your organization. [200-500 words - recommended]

Nyansapo AI is well-positioned to effectively support the LEAP Project, given other priorities within our organization. For this particular project, Nyansapo AI’s head of projects, who oversees the planning, execution and evaluation will work closely with the LEAP team to ensure alignment of goals and expectations. Apart from being the main point of contact for the LEAP Project and will coordinate the work of the supporting team members.The head of programs also has academic and professional experience in conducting research and development activities across various countries in Africa.

Edward Amoah, the lead engineer is a currently a PhD student in ecology. His academic background provides an experience in research, which will be incorporated in the project to provide support the fellows. Additionally, Edward is responsible for developing and maintaining the Nyansapo AI app, as well as integrating new features and functionalities. The lead engineer will work closely with the LEAP Fellows to implement their research recommendations and ensure the app meets the highest standards of quality and usability.

The Android developer will also provide technical support and troubleshooting for any issues that may arise during the LEAP Project. The web developer is in charge of creating and updating the Nyansapo AI platform will work closely with the fellows to share the existing data.The communications consultant will also document and disseminate the outcomes and insights from the LEAP Project, as well as amplify the voices of our learners and instructors.

Nyansapo AI is committed to supporting and accelerating education solutions that positively impact learners. The team has experience in advancing access to education in underserved settings. We believe that the LEAP Project will provide us with valuable expertise to strengthen the evidence base of our solution and enhance our impact. 

One-line solution summary: In 20 words or less, summarize your organization's product or program that is the focus of your LEAP Project.

NyansapoAI app and analytics dashboard uses AI to assess and improve children's  literacy and numeracy competencies

Define the problem that your solution seeks to solve. [200-500 words recommended]

Like many sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries with many indigenous languages,  children in Kenya learn in a multilanguage environment, but English is the widely used language in early primary education (Piper & Miksic, 2011).  English is used to teach all subjects, from math to science. Studies have shown that the different languages children speak at home influence children's ability to learn English at school (Jasinska et al., 2019).  As a result of this and many other factors, many children cannot read and write in their early years of primary education (Gove & Cvelich, 2011), which impedes their ability to comprehend and acquire knowledge from school.  

Accelerated Learning Programs (ALP) or Teaching at The Right Level (TaRL) is a learner-centered pedagogy of teaching which focuses on teaching children at their level to address their learning gaps. Many studies from India to Kenya have shown that implementing ALP programs with children can significantly improve their literacy and numeracy over a short period of time (Ngindiru and Mburu, 2022; Banergee et al., 2016). Governments in SSA countries like Côte d’Ivoire, Kenya, Nigeria, and Zambia have already started including ALP or TaRL in their school program. Despite all the success and adoption of ALP, many rural communities in Kenya don’t have access to effective ALP/TaRL programs.  

Nyansapo AI partners with organizations to develop EdTech solutions to scale literacy and numeracy intervention programs (i.e., ALP or TaRL) to reach children in the most rural areas in Kenya. A critical piece of the TaRL implementation is the assessment and grouping of children according to their learning levels for targeted learning activities. Nyansapo AI mobile app can assess and group children into their respective literacy learning using a speech recognition-powered technology (Amoah et al., 2022). Detailed information of children’s performance during assessment can be visualized on the mobile phone to support target instruction as well as on the web on the Nyansapo AI dashboard. The Nyansapo AI dashboard provides organizers of literacy intervention programs with an intuitive interface to monitor and manage intervention programs at scale.  

Describe your solution and how it works in simple terms. [200-500 words recommended]

The Nyansapo AI app aims to provide a personalized and engaging learning experience for children of different ages and levels. It works by using machine learning and natural language processing to analyze the child's input and output, such as text, speech and images.Based on the analysis, the app can identify the child's strengths and weaknesses in literacy and numeracy, and provide feedback and suggestions for improvement. The app can also adapt the difficulty and content of the learning activities according to the child's progress and preferences.The app can also monitor the child's performance and progress over time, and provide reports and recommendations for parents and teachers. It is based on the Uwezo Assessment tool, which is a household-based initiative that aims to measure the basic skills of children aged 6-16 years old in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. The app works as follows:

- It allows children to take online tests in reading and arithmetic, using simple and engaging questions.

- It analyses the test results using machine learning algorithms and provides feedback to learning camp instructors on their strengths and weaknesses.

- It suggests personalized learning activities that match the children's needs and interests, such as games, videos, stories and quizzes.

- It allows teachers to write lesson plans based on the Uwezo curriculum and the app's feedback, and to monitor the progress of their students.

- It allows dynamic grouping of children based on their literacy and numeracy competencies, so that they can learn from each other and collaborate on projects.

The actionable dashboard provides understanding on actual learner engagement, disparities across various interventions, providing critical information for program managers and other actors to make high value decisions and impact actions to improve literacy and numeracy competencies of children.

Our solution embraces learning variability in typically developing children aged 7-12. We understand that every child has a unique way of learning and that reading is a complex skill that involves many cognitive processes. Our app adapts to the level and pace of each learner, providing them with engaging content to allow teachers to conduct peer learning activities. As most of the learning activities occur out of the app, the learning instructors are expected to add activities they are conducting that support different modes of learning, such as visual, auditory, and kinesthetic. During the learning camps, instructors choose from different types of passages, such as stories, poems, or facts, and different formats, such as text, audio, or video to enhance these literacy and numeracy competencies of children. Our app also encourages learners to interact with the content, such as by answering questions, recording their voices, or drawing pictures. Our app aims to foster a love of reading and learning in every child.

Select the key characteristics of your target population. Select all that apply.

• Women & Girls
• Primary school children (ages 5-12)
• Rural
• Peri-Urban
• Poor
• Low-Income

In which country or countries does your solution currently operate?

Kenya

Upload your solution's Theory of Change or Logic Model.

Where would you place your solution on Nesta's Standards of Evidence?

To date, what research/studies has your organization conducted that have helped demonstrate the effectiveness of your solution? [200-500 words recommended]

Foundational Research 

Piper, Benjamin, and Emily Miksic. "Mother tongue and reading: Using early grade reading assessments to investigate language-of-instruction policy in East Africa." The early grade reading assessment: Application and intervention to improve basic literacy (2011): 139-182. 

Jasińska, Kaja K., et al. "Literacy acquisition in multilingual educational contexts: Evidence from Coastal Kenya." Developmental science 22.5 (2019). 

Gove, Amber, and Peter Cvelich. "Early reading: Igniting education for all. A report by the early grade learning community of practice." RTI International (2011). 

Ngindiru, Virginia, James Mburu, and Irene Chepngetich. "Accelerated Learning to Reach Children Furthest Behind." Childhood Education 98.4 (2022): 14-23. 

Banerjee, Abhijit, et al. Mainstreaming an effective intervention: Evidence from randomized evaluations of “Teaching at the Right Level” in India. No. w22746. National Bureau of Economic Research, 2016. 

Amoah, Edward, et al. "Technology Applications in Teaching at the Right Level Programs." 2022 IEEE Global Humanitarian Technology Conference (GHTC). IEEE, 2022. 

Formative Research 

Nyansapo AI has also conducted usability studies; feasibility studies; case studies;through working with partners such as Zizi Afrique 

Please see attached raw data from  some of our studies https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1MVxDvFTVXshv57xYmVobSMJ0IPuv-ZmK?usp=share_link

User/Customer Studies Results
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Kf4sGgyh93BdyEeRuo5x_Sz4i-dG2mBeUin9JrUvBPE/edit?usp=sharing

Korando Learning Camp 

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1BKJ4T-XF-l4B3RfazCFxKHH5_BnqkdW2/view?usp=share_link

What has the research/studies you have conducted revealed about your solution and how did it inform your work moving forward? [200-500 words recommended]

The research we have conducted have revealed valuable insights about our solution and how it can benefit our clients and stakeholders. We have conducted usability studies to test the functionality and user-friendliness of our products, such as the Nyansapo AI app, which is a mobile application that uses artificial intelligence to assess and improve the reading skills of learners. At the moment, we are planning to implement feasibility studies to assess the technical and operational requirements of implementing our products in different contexts and settings, such as rural schools, refugee camps, and community centres. These studies have helped us to identify and address potential challenges and risks, such as internet connectivity, device compatibility, and user training.

 Furthermore, we have conducted case studies and user interviews to collect feedback from teachers, learners, parents, and administrators. These studies have helped us to measure the impact and value of our products on the learning outcomes and experiences of our target users. They have also helped us to understand the needs and expectations of our clients and stakeholders, and to tailor our products and services accordingly. Based on the findings of our research/studies, we have informed our work moving forward by making improvements and enhancements to our products and services, such as adding new features, fixing bugs, updating content, and providing support. We use the studies to to showcase our solution to potential clients and partners and to demonstrate our credibility and expertise in the field of AI-powered EdTech.

The findings have been incoporating our conversations with potential partners as indicated by the slides attached Nyansapo AI partners

Describe your organization's need to strengthen the evidence base of your solution. [200-500 words recommended]

We  recognize that we need to strengthen the evidence base of our solution to demonstrate its effectiveness, scalability, and sustainability. That is why we are interested in engaging in a LEAP Project. A LEAP Project would enable us to rigorously evaluate our solution using a randomized controlled trial (RCT) design. The trial could recruit a sample of learners from different schools and randomly assign them to either the Nyansapo App group or the paper-based learning camps group. The Nyansapo App group would use the app as part of their regular curriculum, while the paper-based learning camps group would follow the same curriculum without the app. The trial would measure the reading skills of both groups before and after the intervention using standardized tests. The trial would also collect data on learner satisfaction, instructor feedback, and program costs. The trial would then compare the outcomes between the two groups using statistical methods to determine if the Nyansapo App is more effective, efficient, and acceptable than the standard teaching method. Nyansapo would also compared if their participation in these learning camps had any effect on the learners English and Mathematics scores.

The trial would provide evidence on whether the Nyansapo App can improve the reading skills of learners, as well as their motivation and confidence. It would also provide evidence on whether the app can help instructors design better learning activities and monitor learner progress. It would also provide evidence on whether the app can reduce program costs and increase impact. The trial would contribute to the evidence base of Nyansapo AI's solution and help them refine their product and scale up the impact. 

We think that now is the right time to engage in a LEAP Project because we have reached a stage of maturity and readiness in our solution development. We have tested and refined our app with several pilot schools and received positive feedback from users. We have also established partnerships with local education authorities and NGOs who are willing to support our scale-up efforts. We have a clear theory of change and a robust monitoring and evaluation framework for our solution. We have a dedicated and passionate team of developers, educators, and researchers who are eager to learn and grow. We are confident that we have the capacity and motivation to successfully implement a LEAP Project and contribute to the global knowledge base on education innovation.

What are 2-3 research questions that you would like your LEAP Project to help you answer? [100 words recommended]

- How does the use of the Nyansapo AI tools affect the literacy and numeracy skills of learners and instructional practices and feedback of instructors compared to the paper-based literacy and numeracy camps?

- How does the use of the Nyansapo AI app affect the program costs and impact compared to the paper-based learning camps?

- How does the participation in learning camps affect the English and Mathematics scores of learners who use the Nyansapo AI tools compared to those who do not?

What type of research/studies do you think will help answer your stated questions? Select all that apply.

• Formative research (e.g. usability studies; feasibility studies; case studies; user interviews; implementation studies; pre-post or multi-measure research; correlational studies)

Please elaborate on your selection above by describing your desired outputs of the 12-week LEAP Project sprint. [200 - 500 words recommended]

The outputs include: 

- A detailed research protocol that outlines the objectives, design, methods, and ethical considerations of the randomized controlled trial (RCT) that will compare the Nyansapo App with the standard teaching method.
- A data collection plan that specifies the instruments, procedures, and timeline for collecting data on reading skills, learner satisfaction, instructor feedback, and program costs from both groups of learners.
- A data analysis plan that describes the statistical techniques and software that will be used to analyze the data and test the hypotheses.
- A dissemination plan that identifies the target audiences, channels, and formats for sharing the research findings and recommendations with relevant stakeholders.
- A draft research report that summarizes the background, methods, results, discussion, and conclusion of the RCT.

How will your organization put these outputs into action? [200-500 words recommended]

Our organization plans to use these outputs to inform our future development and scaling of our solution. In the long term, we intend to: 

 - Implement the suggested changes and improvements to the Nyansapo AI solution based on the research findings and recommendations.
- Apply for more grants and competitions that require evidence of impact and scalability for education solutions.
- Publish the research report in a peer-reviewed journal or a reputable online platform that reaches a wide audience of education stakeholders.
- Present the research findings and recommendations at relevant conferences, workshops, webinars, or podcasts that showcase innovative education solutions.
- Share the research findings and recommendations with their existing and potential partners, clients, users, and beneficiaries through various channels such as newsletters, social media, blogs, or videos.

Describe your desired short-term and long-term outcomes of the 12-week LEAP Project sprint for both your organization and solution. [200-500 words recommended]

Short-term outcomes:

- Nyansapo AI will gain a deeper understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of their solution, as well as the contextual factors that influence its effectiveness and feasibility in different settings.
- Nyansapo AI will receive feedback and recommendations from the Fellows and other stakeholders on how to improve their solution design, implementation, and monitoring.
- Nyansapo AI will develop their capacity and skills in conducting high-quality research and data analysis, as well as communicating their findings and implications to various audiences.
- Nyansapo AI will establish connections and partnerships with other education innovators, researchers, funders, and policymakers who are interested in their solution and can support its scaling and sustainability.

Long-term outcomes:

- Nyansapo AI will use the evidence generated from the RCT to refine their solution and enhance its quality, relevance, and efficiency for different learners and instructors.
- Nyansapo AI will leverage the evidence to advocate for their solution and attract more funding, support, and recognition from potential investors, donors, and partners.
- Nyansapo AI will disseminate the evidence to inform policy and practice in the education sector, especially in low-resource contexts where literacy and numeracy gaps are prevalent.
- Nyansapo AI will contribute to the global knowledge base on effective education interventions that leverage artificial intelligence to improve learning outcomes for children.