How one alum is using AI to push the needle on game-based education
When it comes to the topic of artificial intelligence (AI), Mallory Maynard is not the theatrical type. “There’s a lot of fear-mongering when it comes to generative AI (external link) ,” explains Maynard (Marketing, ‘20). “The critical thinking piece is important here – there’s a lot of education that needs to be done around cybersecurity and AI.”
Since graduating from Ted Rogers School of Management’s Marketing Management program, Maynard has discovered her passion for advancing girls in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). Her interest in data analytics peaked when she was one of the first non-engineering students to join Toronto Met Formula Racing (external link) (formerly Ryerson Formula Racing), where she spent three years of her time as an undergraduate.
“I was offered a job at Chubb in Business Solutions [after school], but because I was interested in coding, I convinced them to change my position,” says Maynard of her time working in property and casualty insurance.
“I was already passionate about getting kids into STEM, and at Chubb, they asked me to teach Excel to a few people. Within a month, I was teaching four departments.”
The interest in education led Maynard to co-found her first venture, Ripple Studios (external link) , which aimed to inspire students to consider a career in STEM through mobile games. “There are three main issues that are problematic for young girls: confidence in math and sciences, education in schools and role models,” she adds. “One of our focuses with Ripple was getting women in tech in front of students.”
“I’m passionate about this cause because I don’t want girls to be put in my position, where I was not introduced to engineering as a kid interested in science.”
Today, Maynard works as the Founder of Gibbly (external link) , a service that leverages ChatGPT for game-based learning for teachers. Most of her day is spent talking to teachers, working on front-end development and marketing/outreach efforts. Maynard hired one of her employees from Ripple, a TMU graduate, to work for her at Gibbly.
“I started the company in November 2022, so it’s just the two of us. My goal is to launch a new feature every two weeks,” she says. “The next major upgrade is a reporting dashboard for teachers to look at progress – this was recommended by one of our influencer teachers.”
Gibbly launched right as ChatGPT was entering the media zeitgeist. From replacing white-collar jobs (external link) to students cheating on exams (external link) , the possible benefits and detractions that come from generative AI have grown. Still, Maynard doesn’t see Gibbly as another company riding a technology trend.
“The AI is a bonus; the value comes from the game-based elements. For example, teachers can use [Gibbly] to create a quiz on any topic leveraging ChatGPT,” says Maynard. “The most popular competitor is Kahoot, which offers individual learning. We’re focusing on team-based learning because we believe learning together helps users grasp the material.”
Maynard believes the connection between AI and cybersecurity (external link) needs to be improved in the current media conversation, where cybercriminals could leverage ChatGPT better than the average user. Taking even seemingly small security measures, such as using a password manager and multifactor authentication, makes a difference.
“I’ve been working a bit for a company out of London called Cyber Legends (external link) , helping with game design. Awareness around cybersecurity is more important as AI becomes more widespread.”
Maynard understands teachers’ hesitation but believes that tapping into tools like Gibbly, ethical use of AI and cybersecurity best practices are in the best interests of students.
“Asking students not to use ChatGPT is like asking them not to use Google. We need to move forward, or we’re doing them a disservice in their education and for future employment.” As she describes it, the “race with AI'' will come down to who can provide the most value.