TUMO’s Generative Learning program combines self-learning, hands-on workshops, and deep tech familiarity, using AI to help teens chart their own hyper-personalized learning paths.
Organization’s Background and Achievements
This project is one of the 2024-2025 WISE Prize for Education finalists.
Project Representative: Vahakn Papazian
TUMO Center for Creative Technologies, founded by Simonian Educational Foundation, emerged from a recognition of the need to nurture creativity and initiative in education systems worldwide. Initially developed to address educational challenges in Armenia, TUMO has grown into a global initiative aimed at empowering youth through innovative learning approaches.
The organization’s impact has been profound and far-reaching. Over 30,000 teens attend TUMO centers worldwide on a weekly basis, all free of charge, resulting in an impressive 2,000,000 student-hours of learning annually. This extensive reach demonstrates TUMO’s commitment to making high-quality education accessible to a broad range of students.
Since its inception, TUMO has achieved remarkable success:
- About 30,000 teens attend TUMO centers worldwide weekly, free of charge
- 2,000,000 student-hours of learning take place annually
- Active and planned centers in 10 countries, with expansion set to triple in coming years
- TUMO students are twice as likely to be in the top of their class in regular schools
- 50% of TUMO alumni of working age earn more than triple the national average salary
- Over 40% of TUMO students are female
The new solution to be developed as part of the WISE Prize for Education
The TUMO Center for Creative Technologies proposes an innovative educational program that reimagines how young people interact with and learn about technology, particularly artificial intelligence. This initiative aims to bridge the gap between traditional education and the rapidly evolving tech landscape, providing students with the tools and knowledge to become active participants in the digital future. The program creates an AI-assisted learning path generator to empower learners, instead of using AI as a subject matter tutor or teaching assistant. It also avoids a purely defensive approach to AI literacy, placing emphasis on deep technical mastery and readiness to participate in ecosystems of AI innovation. Unlike traditional AI tutoring systems, this platform acts as a personalized learning path generator, allowing students to explore and craft their own educational experiences. The program emphasizes hands-on engagement with technology, moving beyond theoretical understanding to practical application and creation. The program’s accessibility, being free of charge and available in multiple countries, underscores its commitment to democratizing advanced technology education.
Future Impact and Prospects
TUMO has set ambitious goals for its future impact:
- Expand reach from tens of thousands to over a million users worldwide
- Leverage AI to increase automation and reduce costs
- Introduce a significant online component to complement the current in-person model
- Spin off intellectual property into a learning app and online platform for long-term sustainability
Addressing WISE Prize for Education Challenges
- Artificial Intelligence in Education ☑️
- Teaching of Arabic Language
- Foundational Literacies ☑️
The solution directly addresses these challenges by leveraging AI to create personalized learning paths and by focusing on deep technical mastery in AI and related technologies. This approach not only uses AI in education but also prepares students to participate in AI innovation ecosystems.