5 ways artificial intelligence can be used in eLearning
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is one of the hottest buzzwords right now and for good reasons. It is rapidly transforming every aspect of human society, and the education sector is not left out. With the current tide of rapid advancements in AI technology, soon numerous mundane tasks that were traditionally performed by humans will be taken over by machines in e-learning.
What does this imply for teaching and e-learning processes? Does it mean that robots will replace teachers at the front of the classroom in the near future? Highly unlikely. However, automation will have huge impacts on the education industry.
Here are a few areas that would benefit most from a helping hand from our AI friends.
eLearning Agency AI
1) Data analysis
With the increasing volume of data being produced by current e-learning technology, it can be a challenge for teachers and administrators to make sense of it all. This is where AI could really make a difference.
AI technology could be applied in spotting patterns or trends and highlighting these to an appropriate user, who can then interpret the data and decide on a course of action.
Consider this, an automated system which monitors student data and reports individuals who might be experiencing difficulties to staff, whether that’s performing poorly in assessments, changing patterns of behaviour or issues around attendance. This would enable staff to intervene earlier, potentially avoiding a problem it becomes severe.
2) Personalized learning
Today, most modern learning management systems or LMS allow teachers to design conditional activities, which offers various options to the student depending on their achievement in previous tasks.
Advanced AI systems would significantly improve this process by creating new activities in real-time, based on a student’s achievement so far, and curating and signposting content for further revision.
Besides functioning as a personal assistant for the student, the AI system could also alert teachers and parents on any areas of concern, enabling them to tailor their support to the areas where it was most needed.
3) Grading assessments
Many companies are already utilizing simple automation in grading, while others are successfully deploying software to check plagiarism in student submissions.
As artificial intelligence continues to advance, soon we’ll see the automation of more complex tasks, such as grading written submissions including essays and presentations and offering feedback to students on how they might improve their work.
4) Break down barriers
Globally, millions of students still suffer from a shortage of qualified teachers. Although innovations such as MOOCs have introduced virtual classrooms to learners around the world, without guidance, even the most motivated learners will struggle to take advantage of the content on offer.
AI could offset this challenge by providing a better-directed learning approach, which is personalized to each student.
AI assistants, unlike human teachers, can be available round the clock, and support thousands or hundreds of thousands of learners simultaneously. While this is not an exact replacement for face-to-face teaching, it could offer the much-needed level of support where access to educational infrastructure is a challenge.
5) Free up learning managers time
In recent times, many column inches, studies and researches have been centred on issues surrounding automation in elearning– particularly the threat to people’s jobs.
In fact, some experts predict millions of job loss in the next ten years due to the impact of automation. Fortunately, the teaching profession is generally identified as being at lower risk of replacement by AI.
E-learning Agency, LMS & Content development, London, Geneva, Stockholm
What artificial intelligence does have the power to do is to radically transform teaching techniques and elearning, and free up time for teachers to spend on the more ‘human’ side of the profession. Administrative tasks usually swallow up a good amount of a teacher’s day, leaving them frustrated and preventing them from teaching effectively. If AI can take over these tasks, then that balance can shift in the right direction.