What is Ara?
Ara is the AI in Kōkiri Learn. It shows up differently depending on who you are, but it is always the same underneath: an AI that helps people think better, not one that does their thinking for them.
For students, your bird companion
The seven bird companions are how Ara talks to you in each subject. Kōkako in Science, Kuaka in English, Kea in Maths, Kārearea in Social Sciences, Pīwakawaka in Arts, Pūkeko in Technology, and Kererū in Health and PE. Each has its own character. All of them ask questions. They never give you the answer. That is on purpose. The thinking has to be yours.
For teachers, Ara in your dashboard
Ara watches your class as a whole. It notices which students have been inactive, which curriculum strands still need covering, and which investigation phases your students find hardest. Every Monday it gives you a short summary of what your class most needs that week.
For whānau, ask Ara about your child's learning
When you visit your child's portfolio, you can ask Ara anything about what you are seeing. What does this mean? What should I ask them about it? Ara will answer in plain language and suggest questions for home.
What Ara does not do
Ara does not give students answers. It does not assess students or produce grades. It does not share what one student wrote with another. It does not store personal conversations. If Ara is working well, your child is thinking harder, not getting easier shortcuts.
Who built Ara?
Ara is powered by Anthropic's Claude AI, running on Kōkiri's servers in New Zealand. Every Ara response is a question or a short prompt. The design rules that govern what Ara can say are set by the Kōkiri team, not by the AI itself.