AI helps predict why children struggle at school

London, Oct. 1: Using machine learning - a type of artificial intelligence ( AI) — could help develop better predictions of why children struggle at school, scientists say.

The researchers from the University of Cambridge in the UK used AI and data from hundreds of children who struggle at school to identify clusters of learning difficulties which did not match the previous diagnosis the children had been given.

The finding, published in the journal Developmental Science, reinforces the need for children to receive detailed assessments of their cognitive skills to identify the best type of support.

The researchers recruited 550 children who were referred to a clinic because they were struggling at school.

Much of the previous research into learning difficulties has focussed on children who had already been given a particular diagnosis, such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder ( ADHD), an autism spectrum disorder, or dyslexia, they said.

By including children with all difficulties regardless of diagnosis, this study better captured the range of difficulties within.

“Receiving a diagnosis is a landmark for children with learning difficulties,” said Duncan Astle from the University of Cambridge. — PTi