NJ university first in U.S. with AI elementary school

By: William Westhoven
Morristown Daily Record
USA Today Network - New Jersey

..... One of New Jersey's most prestigious universities is about to open its doors for eager students who have yet to reach high school.
..... Drew University in Madison has announced the launch of The Drew School for grades 1 to 8. Opening for the fall semester, the new venture is a partnership with 2 Hour Learning, an artificial-intelligence curricular platform used by the Alpha School network.
..... The Drew announcement, a first among colleges in the United States, describes the program as "a groundbreaking, grade 1-8 school that re-imagines how younger students learn, grow, and prepare for a rapidly changing world."
..... The Austin, Texas-based Alpha School model, founded in 2014, employs a two-hour morning block of AI-driven instruction, "Mastering material two times faster."
..... Four-hour afternoon sessions "are packed with sports, arts, entrepreneurship" the Alpha School website says. "Kids dive into there passion while learning crucial life skills like financial literacy, public speaking, collaboration and grit. This ensures they grow as unique individuals while exploring their passions and interest," it says.
..... "Drew University is re-imagining liberal arts education for the AI era as a 60-plus-year learning trajectory," the announcement reads.
..... "To be relevant, universities must rethink the metrics, systems, and structures that have long governed us to ask: Can a person solve problems?" drew President Hilary Link said. "Collaborate? Adapt and pivot? Cerae value in complex situations and contribute to enriching our-world? these are the same questions Alpha School has been asking of younger learners since 2014, and we are thrilled to be their first higher education partners."
..... "Most traditional schools are killing creativity in these uniquely inspired students who don't run with the grain,"' said Brian Holtz, co-founder of Alpha School and leader of the new Drew School. "The Drew School is looking to give these students the time, space, and mentor-ship to really zero in on what actually makes them tick."
..... Drew is limiting the initial enrollment to 10 to 12 "founding families to help build something extraordinary." Students will meet at Mead Hall, the university's first building. Starting tuition for founding families is $30,000 annually.
..... Another college right down the road from Drew, Saint Elizabeth University in Morris Township, has its own presage school that predates not only AI, but any kind of computer-assisted learning.
..... AI was not around in 1860 when the Academy of Saint Elizabeth was opened by the Sisters of Charity of Saint Elizabeth, who founded he college in 1899. Saint Elizabeth went coed in 2016 and achieved university status in 2020.
..... For more information about The Drew School, email adminssions@drew.school or visit drew.school/contact .
..... Drew University has more than 2,200 students in its undergraduate, master's and doctoral programs, including the Drew Teleological School.

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