In a landmark initiative to integrate artificial intelligence into educational practices, Yandex Textbook has announced the launch of free online courses on AI for both teachers and schoolchildren. Set to commence on January 25, 2024, this program aims to equip educators with enhanced skills in new technologies and provide students with the opportunity to acquire advanced IT skills.
The curriculum is designed to familiarize teachers with the intricacies of neural networks and the crafting of queries for GPT technologies. Such knowledge is intended to assist educators in leveraging AI tools for lesson preparation and teaching methodologies. On the other hand, schoolchildren are offered a deep dive into the world of AI, including the study of neural network structures and hands-on experience in developing their own AI models using Blockly and Python programming languages.
This pioneering course on artificial intelligence is a collaborative effort between Yandex and the Federal State Budgetary Institution “Institute of Educational Development Strategy,” with scientific supervision provided by Alena Salakhova, an Associate Professor at the Moscow Pedagogical State University. This partnership underscores the commitment to fostering a robust foundation in AI education, highlighting the importance of integrating cutting-edge technologies into the classroom.
Elena Kraevskaya, the head of Yandex Textbook, emphasized the organization’s dedication to making IT education widely accessible. “Neural networks are already becoming an integral part of the educational process,” Kraevskaya stated, pointing to the potential of AI tools to transform learning experiences.
The launch of these courses comes at a time when the global educational technology market is poised for significant growth, with predictions of a 36% increase by 2030. The integration of AI into education promises to expedite learning processes, enhance the quality of education, and provide unprecedented access to vast educational resources. This shift towards AI-driven education is expected to yield a more personalized and student-centric learning environment, enabling students to grasp complex subjects more effectively.
Yandex’s initiative is part of a broader movement within Russia to incorporate generative AI into education. The company has already introduced a free platform to aid in preparing for the Unified State Exam in computer science, featuring the AI assistant YandexGPT. This development reflects a growing trend of leveraging AI to enrich educational content and methodologies.
As the landscape of education continues to evolve with technological advancements, Yandex’s free AI courses for teachers and students mark a significant step forward in preparing the next generation for a future dominated by digital and AI technologies. This initiative not only aims to enhance the educational experience but also to inspire innovation and creativity among educators and learners alike.
