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All you need to know about the impact of AI on education

 

The increase of digital penetration has led to the rise of digital applications in many sectors of the world currently. And like most industries in the 21^st century, education is significantly impacted by this wave.

While most education systems still use a central curriculum and sometimes limited teaching resources and materials, the application of artificial intelligence in education has brought a certain level of convenience and flexibility that was never there.

This post outlines everything you need to know about the impact of artificial intelligence on education systems. Read through to learn and discover more.

The impact of AI on education sector.

Over the years, the education system and its general infrastructure have remained unchanged; institutions offered education through tutors who spoke to students with the help of diagrams and charts to explain concepts and theories.

Due to the rise in technology, this otherwise dormant sector has begun to expand and catch up with the benefits that are offered by implementing digital solutions. There are several things that have changed for the better in the education sector ever since. Let’s have a look at them

1 Transformation of classroom environment.

For years, conventional classrooms set up have had instructors delivering lessons and students attempting to absorb instructions and concepts as much as possible.

However, in the modern world, there are several mobile apps, software, and online sites that have transformed the traditional learning concept into virtual classes.  The online setup is designed to offer lessons to learners based on their preference, interest, knowledge of a specific area, and ability.

The implementation of artificial intelligence in education has not only personalized learning it has also enabled academic efforts to reach everyone from all corners of the world without compromising on delivery and monitoring systems.

2 New ways of curriculum designs.

One of the unique features that AI has brought into education systems is the easy way of creating personalized learning. AI allows customization learning on a more personalized level since machines learn the behavior patterns, desires, and preferences of an individual.

Both learners in their early years of studies and those on a higher level or graduate schools can reap the benefits of AI personalization. They can attend personalized virtual classes, sit for exams and track their performance straight from their internet-enabled devices such as smartphones.

Schools can design personalized courses according to the needs, preferences, and abilities of learners with artificial intelligence. AI ensures there is efficient delivery of academic services to every learner and promotes the ultimate aim-education for all.

3 Better and effective grading systems.

Examinations and grading have constantly received an equal measure of criticism as they have instilled fear among the students preparing for the tests.

Grades can dictate the academic future of learners and therefore shaping the life they will live in the ahead. However, for the longest time now, the grading process has been marred by human errors.

Luckily, AI can solve this problem since it can help conduct exams and assess individual students' knowledge efficiently.

Furthermore, artificial intelligence can help education administrators to evaluate the learning is being delivered. It can also analyze how efficiently learners receive various learning formats based on their test performances.

Subjectivity and human errors are completely neglected since we are at a stage where assessments and evaluations are mechanized and delivered using robust AI servers and platforms.

With a system having few cases of human errors, schools can confidently create a much better future for the next and current generations of learners.

4 Enables automation.

Just like driving a manual car in tight traffic on a weekday can be frustrating compared to driving an automatic vehicle that does not need a frequent change of gears, automation in education system offers similar convenience and flexibility.

Thanks to AI, automation in the education system brings speed and convenience to the teaching and evaluation processes. It allows students to learn at their own pace and take part in tests to gauge their progress more efficiently.

AI-enabled education environment assesses students independently without human intervention and assistance. Automation in learning increases the speed of checking assessment papers, grading systems, and other related education tasks.

Also, this automation saves human instructors a significant amount of time as well as endless stress involved with the delivery of education content and exams.

5 Easy and effective implementation of administrative duties.

Generally, administrative duties are a dull experience, but luckily AI has enabled the automation of these stale tasks.

Nobody wants to do a repetitive task over and over again. Artificial intelligence can help solve this problem as the noncomplaining entity to handle the tedious data and administrative tasks subject to human errors and are at risk of being affected by boredom and lethargy as a consequence.

AI simplifies the process of filing papers, confirms the authenticity and validity of documents, and ensures the completion of documentation from the comfort of an individual's home. It spares a lot of time and necessary resources essential for actual learning.

6 Smart content creation.

AI and education go together with education, and all that could be needed are new techniques to ensure that all students achieve their greatest academic excellence. Smart content has been a hot topic for discussion in the current world of digital penetration.

The use of robotics and machine learning can be helpful in creating digital content that is of the same quality compared to what different creators can design. Fortunately, this technology has been extensively adopted in the classroom setting.

Also, smart contents include digital contents like video lectures and video conferencing solutions like Zoom and Google meet. The adoption of this technology, as can be imagined, is giving the use of textbooks a new twist.

Artificial intelligence in education is using conventional syllabuses to design personalized textbooks for specific subjects. Consequently, textbooks are being turned into digital forms, and new learning modalities are being introduced to help students of all ages and academic grades.

A notable example of such interfaces is the Cram101 that applies AI to create textbook contents that are more understandable and simple to navigate with flashcards, summaries of chapters, and practical tests.

Another useful mechanism is the Netex learning which allows syllabus creators to design digital curriculum and educative content across different devices. It includes illustrative videos, audio, and assistance programs.

7 Introduction of new efficiencies.

The use of AI enhances IT processes and provides a new level of efficiency. For instance, it can be used by town planners to control traffic and boost the safety of pedestrians on the road. In the same way, learning institutions can use it to prevent learners from getting lost in the crowd or when they run into dark corridors.

Also, AI can be helpful in fetching insights that can be used in the development of complex data to allow the operations department to set data-driven expectations and, in turn, enable effective future planning. For example, it can be used to assign seats for students and guests during school events or to order meals from the cafeteria.

With these new efficient modalities, artificial intelligence in education can cater for its charges. However, while new technologies feature some upfront costs for training and installations, eventually, these charges become negligible with time.

In a nutshell, as much as technology may have some expensive initial charges, it gets cheaper with time, and so does the software and hardware.

The future of artificial intelligence in education.

Trained robots having the same human intelligence can affect our lives in significant and tangible ways. Here are various expected changes in the future that will depict a clear picture of these impacts in our lives.

a   Predicting the performance of students in the future.

When teachers begin using AI solutions to track students’ progress, it will generate a lot of data that would help institutions understand how perfect students are faring in the class and how long they are taking to pick up various concepts from the curriculum.

Artificial intelligence can correctly predict the type of performance that can be expected from every student based on the performance patterns, time taken on a topic or a concept, and finally, the tests, assignments, and examinations.

Additionally, AI can be used to track the actual progress of the machine learning systems used for the efficiency and purposes of artificial intelligence platforms. The AI algorithms and students' graphs can be correctly compared, and appropriate tweaking can lead to improved performance of both factors.

b   Experiential learning for students using games and VR.

Everybody, especially children, has the ability to understand things better when they have first-hand experience of those things. They are also able to retain knowledge much better when they take part in a given experience, such as puzzle or quiz games.

For example, you could show learners how gas is produced from a chemical reaction, or you could as well have them perform the experiment themselves and understand how the gases are produced in real-time.

Applying virtual realities during such experiments can offer the much-needed safety of students. It can conduct many complex and basic operations virtually within a short period at the safety of one's house.

Gamification, on the other hand, is much more interesting for adults and children alike. This can be confirmed by the way the gamification industry has progressively grown into a notable sector.

People who have implemented gamification may not understand this, but video games usually get participants engaged with exciting storylines that explore moral issues and complex emotions.

Using VR and gamification can offer better platforms to educate learners about morals and subjectivity of emotions and make them sensitive to fundamental human and life skills.

c   Identifying gaps in teaching methods.

Very minor things can be discovered when every bit of data is kept in a computer. How perfect a student performs at given topics and the exact time they become confused or looked unclear in a certain concept can be spotted very easily.

When most of the students get stuck at a specific stage of the curriculum, the trend becomes observable. This feature can allow teachers and institutions to know exactly where there is a gap in teaching techniques and design an appropriate solution for the same.

Identifying gaps in teaching techniques earlier enable academic stakeholders to make appropriate adjustments in their teaching methods, an issue that would not be possible with traditional board and chalk systems.

d   Collaborative learning for multiple learners.

Every student has their own learning styles, while others prefer studying alone, some thrive being among peers and interacting with them. By understanding each students’ learning style,

AI-based instructors can identify which student performs better alone and those who excel among peers and create lessons that are based on their preferences and provide collaborative learning for everyone.

Implementing a collaborative approach, thanks to artificial intelligence in education, educates learners about curriculum and encourages them on matters of socialization and life skills.

e   Rise in smart classrooms.

Classrooms have continuously become smarter in the recent past with the use of projectors and modules. However, there is a lot that needs to be done to make them even smarter.

With the use of the Internet of Things, people can build universities and school complexes that have automated lights, thermostats, air conditioners, alarms, fans and bells, and much more. With such buildings, students' safety is highly enhanced, and the management of school resources becomes easily managed.

Innovations through the use of technology have already propelled us farther than we could ever imagine. As we continue exploring these uncharted territories, there is much more we can expect from the use of artificial intelligence in education in the future.

Advantages of artificial intelligence in education.

AI in education has brought several benefits that have streamlined teaching and various admin tasks. Here are some of the advantages of using artificial intelligence in learning.

·   Monitor and analyze students' performance in real-time.

AI tools have features that allow instructors to monitor and analyze every student's progress in real-time, meaning that they don't have to wait until the exams are over to compile reports.

What's more, it shows teachers the recommended areas that require repeat or in-depth explanations based on the students' progress data. In such cases, smart analytics features pick up on the areas that most learners struggled with.

·   More personalized learning experience.

With AI solutions and automation in the education system, teachers are able to deliver personalized learning experiences to learners. Based on the student's data, AI-enabled systems can analyze their speed and needs to provide a data-backed recommendation.

Using these recommendations, teachers can design and adopt a learning model based on each students’ strengths and weaknesses.

Creating a personalized learning system is something that most teachers, even the most experienced ones, find challenging. AI-based systems make it easier for teachers and academic stakeholders to make better and informed decisions on the best teaching method for students.

·    Saves time and boosts efficiency.

Since AI demonstrates the same level of human intelligence and skills, such as critical thinking, learning, and problem-solving, people are still apprehensive about it. Hence, the common perception is that it will eventually replace teachers. However, this notion is not valid.

Typically, what AI does is handle daily repetitive tasks that schools and teachers have to perform. It allows academic administrators to save more time to focus on teaching and other administrative tasks.

For instance, when you implement grammar tools in your system, you will not constantly be correcting student's grammar. They will be able to learn about basic grammar like word formats, pronouns, proper usage, and meanings.

Additionally, artificial intelligence in education is advantageous to international students who are learning a new language. It helps in automatic translations and correct usage of words with the help of machine learning.

·   It simplifies administrative tasks.

Any learning environment has loads of administrative tasks they are dealing with on a daily basis. Leveraging AI systems can help automate those tasks, meaning administrators can get more time to organize and run the school smoothly.

Also, learning institutions can make use of editing and proofreading features, as such services can be used to write grammatically correct and error-free administrative documents.

·   Improved and convenient teacher-student interactions.

Artificial intelligence offers comfortable and more convenient interactions between students and teachers. While other students may not be confident enough to talk or ask questions in front of people, some may possess that courage but doubt themselves or fear teachers.

With AI in education, there are various communication channels and tools that students can use comfortably based on their preference, accessibility, and ease of use.

On the teacher’s part, they can also provide customized feedbacks to learners using the same channel they picked, leading to a more streamlined interaction between them.

Since sometimes there may not be enough time to give a detailed explanation in class, teachers can merge similar communication channels and provide detailed feedback at once to multiple students using those channels, thanks to AI in education.

Challenges of AI in education system.

Despite the numerous advantages of artificial intelligence in education, a few challenges still need to be looked into. Here are some of the common disadvantages of AI in the learning environment.

       Costs of AI.

The truth of the matter is, AI in education requires a very high price to be implemented. Apart from the costs of installations and training of staff, institutions should also consider the long-term costs of maintenance.

In this regard, schools with low financial ability may find it hard to implement it. Therefore, they won't be able to automate mundane admin tasks that eat a lot of their time.

       Vulnerability to cyber-attacks.

AI software is very vulnerable to hackers and other cybercrimes. Given that it hosts a lot of data, hackers are always trying to come up with ways to get this information for malicious reasons.

An interface with all the students, teachers, and school information hacked to can pose a great deal of stress and problems to the victims. All that can be done is to install data protection software, but still, this can be bypassed by hackers and expose confidential details of the victims.

     Little room for flexibility.

Regardless of how analytical these systems can be, they cannot develop a student's mind flexibly in a way a teacher can. While academic administrators may prefer several problem-solving strategies, AI does not feature alternative teaching techniques.

Also, AI uses the basis of garbage in garbage out to operate. Meaning, while it can flag discrepancies, it cannot rectify them. So, AI will still perform analysis even when there are errors from the human inputs.

Conclusion.

Artificial intelligence in education has led to several advancements in the learning environment in a way people never expect, especially in the wake of the Coronavirus pandemic and the boom of online classes.

From admin tasks, creation of online course contents, class interactions and, evaluation and assessments, AI has all made them more manageable.

With these, the future of AI-based education looks brighter, with many developments expected in terms of predicting students’ future progress, identifying gaps in teaching methods, collaborative learning, and the development of intelligent schools and classrooms.

On the flip side, artificial intelligence, like any other system, is not without its shortcomings. Academic players fear it may expose them and the students to cybercrimes due to its high vulnerability to hackers.

Also, they must consider costs of installations, training, and maintenance, as well as its poor flexibility in preparing students' minds. Though the fear from these shortcomings may be valid, schools, teachers, and the entire education players should not ignore the significance of AI in promoting efficient learning processes.