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The 2-Sigma Problem: Contextualising Personalised Learning in South Africa’s Underserved Communities In the 1980s, education researcher Benjamin Bloom identified what has become known as the 2-Sigma Problem. His research demonstrated that learners who receive one-to-one tutoring perform, on average, two standard deviations (2σ) better than those in conventional classroom settings. In practical terms, the average tutored learner outperforms approximately 98% of learners in tra

AI and the Flipped Classroom: Opportunities for South African Education As classrooms across the world grapple with increasing learner diversity, curriculum pressure, and rising expectations, the flipped classroom has emerged as one of the most practical pedagogical responses to modern teaching challenges. When strengthened with artificial intelligence (AI), this approach offers powerful opportunities for South African schools seeking to improve learning outcomes at scale. Wh

Understanding the Failure of STEM Interventions Many interventions aimed at improving STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) education have not yielded the desired results. Understanding the reasons behind these failures is crucial for developing more effective strategies. Here are some key factors contributing to the ineffectiveness of many STEM initiatives. Neglecting Psychosocial Upskilling One significant reason for the failure of STEM interventions is