Artificial Intelligence in Education: Transforming Teaching and Learning

As AI-based applications such as natural language processing (NLP), robotic process automation (RPA), and machine learning (ML) become increasingly popular, the impact of AI is being felt across industries including education.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is playing an increasingly important role in EdTech by providing innovative solutions to improve student learning outcomes and educational processes.

The global market for artificial intelligence (AI) software is expected to grow rapidly, touching USD 126 billion by 2025. The global market for AI in education is expected to touch USD 3.68 billion by 2023.

Applications of AI in the Education Sector

Personalized Learning

EdTech combined with artificial intelligence help create an adaptive learning platform that can trace each student’s progress, skills, and knowledge rifts. Also, it can gauge and provide propositions based on assorted inputs from students.

AI leverages each student’s knowledge level, learning speed, intended goals, learning histories, and a variety of other factors to make personalized learning possible.

Personalized learning journeys can prove especially beneficial to differently-abled and slow learners since they have an opportunity to control the pace of learning and ensure that they are on par in terms of knowledge.

Automated Assessments

Automation technologies not only make it possible to automate the grading of quantitative tests such as multi-choice questions but also make qualitative assessments of essay-based tests. This not only helps considerably free up time spent by teachers on grading and assessments but also eliminates the chance of any inadvertent bias or favoritism.

In addition, the large volumes of evaluation data can also help understand the overall effectiveness of learning programs at a group level and influence curriculum design.

AI Teaching Assistants

AI-based virtual assistants can act as teachers in an online classroom. For instance, they can help clarify basic doubts and reinforce concepts. These AI tutors can also create multiple checkpoints in real time during the learning journey to help students evaluate their understanding.

Given that human teachers have limited bandwidth and cannot be available to their students at all times, AI tools can help bridge that gap. Since these tools can be accessible to students at all times, students have the freedom to approach them at any time to elevate their understanding.

Also, these AI teaching assistants can flag any learning gaps to the teachers so that they can take the necessary steps to build all students up to speed.

Simplifying Administrative and Non-core Tasks

In addition to automating the grading process which is generally time-consuming for educators, AI tools can also automate tasks that are not core to teaching. For instance, recording student attendance can be handled completely by AI, allowing teachers to focus on their area of expertise – imparting knowledge to students. In the admission processes, AI can be employed for screening applications, verifying documentation, etc., thereby freeing up more resources.

Predictive Analytics

With predictive analytics, educators can track students’ performance and identify those at risk of falling behind. In this way, teachers can intervene early and improve student outcomes.

Predictive analytics can also be used to determine the effectiveness of teaching methods and make data-driven decisions to improve student achievement.

Chatbots to Resolve Queries

Artificial intelligence (AI) based chatbots are a significant method to guide the visitor to the appropriate content. Chatbots are capable of answering the questions pre-fed into the system, thus providing speedy responses to queries. They act as a point of connectivity between the platform and the prospect while maintaining intelligent conversations 24/7.

Also, they leverage the intent prediction approach to assist customers in various situations. Since every conversation is recorded by the chatbots, more accurate and desirable results can be produced.

AI-enabled Education Helps Special Learners & Disabled People

Students with disabilities experience educational barriers that many other students do not, and they can have both visible and invisible needs. Artificial intelligence (AI) is being explored to improve and create tools for more accessible learning environments.

For visually impaired students, AI-based tools like Voiceover in iOS and Talkback help to pronounce emails and messages received on mobile phones. It also helps to describe app icons, battery levels, and even partial photos. Siri on iPhones enables voice control that allows visually impaired students to simply verbalize their requests, such as conducting a Google search, writing an article, or dictating a text message to a buddy.

For students who have hearing disabilities, Ava is an instant transcription tool that employs artificial intelligence to instantly transcribe a group of people’s discussion. Its algorithm incorporates punctuation, the speaker’s name, and relevant words from the user’s dictionary. RogerVoice is a French group discussion transcription tool that performs similar functions to Ava and is accessible in 90 languages.

Limitations and Challenges for AI in Edtech

Lack of Effective Public Policy on AI for Education

With increasing technological advancements, public institutions should provide financial aid to educational foundations aided to help learners develop AI skills. Moreover, public law enforcement authorities should set a policy that allows local and international organizations to work in partnership. It will help improve AI functions in many educational institutions.

Need for Basic Technological Infrastructure in Developing Countries

Educational institutes and Edtech face difficulty while implementing AI due to a lack of technological infrastructure. They suffer from problems such as the unavailability of modern electrical equipment, ICT hardware availability, consistent internet facility, data costs, and deficiency of ICT skills. Efforts must be made to initiate new strategies that improve AI learning facilities in educational institutes

Missing Ethics and Transparency in Data Collection

Educational institutes must maintain ethical concerns while implementing AI in the education system. A transparent data collection system should ensure the protection of individual data and maintain privacy and ownership of users’ data.

Conclusion

The implementation of AI in education complements and enhances both teaching and learning. Personalized learning, virtual assistance, admission automation, etc. are some of the very early-stage applications. The future is expected to see more improvements as better policies, infrastructure availability, and proper ethics are established.

If you too have any requirements or projects related to AI, our team at Anubrain can help you. Contact us today!