Abu Dhabi: Private schools have adopted ‘smart alert’ programmes to monitor academic difficulties among some students. The programmes employ artificial intelligence (AI) technologies in data analysis, discover the educational challenges faced by students, and areas of weakness in academic achievement, and then develop a plan to help them understand their needs, and direct appropriate intervention and support.
Schools confirmed that these initiatives come within the framework of the increasing trend of educational institutions towards moving from dealing with academic failure after it occurs to monitoring it and intervening to address it in its early stages. This is done through a system that relies on data and continuous follow-up, and combines educational assessment tools, the professional experience of teachers and support teams, and the use of AI technologies in analysing indicators and identifying educational needs. Schools also stressed the importance of partnership with the family in understanding factors affecting student learning, and monitoring the effectiveness of the interventions provided and developing them according to the student’s response and progress.
Tiered models
In letters sent to parents of students, the schools explained that they have designed three-level tiered models to support the needs of students at risk of academic failure.
The first level is based on basic, comprehensive, evidence-based teaching, which is provided to all students in the class. This level focuses on building positive relationships and creating a supportive environment, and the student's progress is continuously monitored.
Students who do not respond to interventions at this level are moved to the next level, which is for additional teaching, targeting students who are having difficulty making the necessary progress to reach their academic and behavioural goals.
The third level of intervention, the "intensive level," focuses on intensive, specialised, and individualised teaching that requires specialised intervention directed to the student's needs and may include assistance from external specialists. The student's progress is also continuously monitored.
The schools reported that they had developed intervention programmes using a comprehensive, systematic, and phased approach, based on an assessment of the underlying factors that led to the student being considered as one of the students at risk of academic failure, and meeting the needs of these students comprehensively, through cooperation between school and home, following a comprehensive approach in the school that seeks supported improvement in both contexts, implementing high-quality intervention programs, based on culturally and linguistically relevant research, adaptive teaching to support the inclusion process, and establishing the principle based on each student’s ability to learn and achieve their potential.
Schools explained that the elements of the intervention program to support students at risk of academic failure also include integrating an evidence-based data collection and assessment system, including comprehensive and diagnostic screening, monitoring progress to guide decision-making at each level of support, using problem-solving techniques to deliver individual learning plans, using a positive, research-based behavioural approach in the school and classroom to support academic achievement and socio-psychological learning, in addition to implementing a collaborative approach to analysing student data and coordinating the intervention process.
The schools urged families to cooperate in identifying any indicators or signs that might suggest academic difficulties in their children, and to share any relevant observations or information that could contribute to understanding the student's needs and the factors affecting their educational progress. They emphasised that an effective partnership between the school and the family is essential for the early detection of educational challenges and helps in taking appropriate measures in a timely manner, ensuring the provision of support and interventions tailored to the student's needs, and the continuous monitoring of their academic and behavioural development.
An important tool
Adnan Abbas, Executive Director of Al Nahda National Schools in Abu Dhabi, affirmed that academic underachievement monitoring programmes represent an important tool for the early detection of challenges that students may face. He explained that their goal is not limited to identifying weaknesses in academic achievement, but extends to understanding the reasons and factors affecting the student's progress, whether academic, behavioural, social, or related to additional educational needs.
He said: "These programmes allow the school to intervene in a timely manner and develop support plans that suit each student's needs, instead of waiting until difficulties worsen and have a greater impact on their achievement, self-confidence, and motivation to learn. Furthermore, educational interventions will be supported by artificial intelligence, as schools are working on developing and implementing technological programs and solutions that help them analyse data more effectively, understand students' needs, and direct educational interventions in a way that suits each student's needs and enhances the school's ability to provide more accurate and responsive support."
He stressed that the effectiveness of these programmes is linked to the existence of a real partnership between the school and the family, in addition to continuous monitoring of the student’s response to the interventions provided. He emphasised that the data and observations collected by the school are used to guide educational decisions and develop support plans, not to establish fixed classifications for students. Interventions also vary according to the student’s level of need, starting with support provided within the classroom for all students, up to specialised and intensive interventions when needed, with the involvement of the parent in the monitoring and evaluation stages, developing the support plan, and following up on the student’s progress.
Early intervention
Educational consultant Shereen Faraj emphasised the importance of having an early detection system for academic difficulties, stating that it helps us understand the student's needs before the educational gap widens. This allows us to provide support in a timely and appropriate manner.
The earlier the intervention, the greater the student's chances of regaining their academic progress and maintaining their self-confidence and motivation to learn. This is especially true since academic difficulties do not occur suddenly, but are often preceded by a set of indicators that can be detected early, whether through assessment results, class participation, achievement level, or changes in motivation, behaviour, and interaction with learning. Most importantly, the goal of monitoring is not to classify the student or place them in a "failing" category, but rather to understand what they need in order to help them succeed.
She said: “Gradual intervention models are among the most effective practices in dealing with students’ needs, because they start from the classroom itself and the teacher’s daily practices. If follow-up shows that the student needs deeper support, the school moves to a more focused level of intervention. What distinguishes this model is that it does not wait for the student to reach an advanced stage of difficulty, but rather relies on continuous follow-up, measuring the impact of the intervention, and then adjusting the level of support based on the student’s response. This makes the educational decision more flexible and accurate.”
Faraj explained that the real addition that artificial intelligence can provide in the monitoring and follow-up process is its ability to analyse large amounts of data and link a set of indicators at once, such as academic achievement, assessment results, attendance, participation, and progress patterns. This helps schools to discover some patterns or risk indicators at an early stage and gives teachers and support teams a more comprehensive picture of the student. She pointed out that artificial intelligence in schools is a tool to support educational decision-making, and not a replacement for the teacher or professional judgment.
She stressed that parents are key partners in the success of the student support system, because they contribute to providing a more comprehensive picture of the student’s needs and the factors that may affect his learning. Continuous communication between the family and the school helps to unify efforts and follow up on the support plan more effectively. The more the parent is involved in understanding the student’s needs and monitoring his progress, the more consistent and sustainable the interventions become, and this is reflected positively on the student’s progress and motivation to learn.