AI in Education: The Future of Personalized Learning
In human fantasy, mechanical robot teachers existed long before modern computers were invented. Today, it’s like the idea moved into reality. AI-powered educators are already accessible, shaping the future of personalized learning. In this article, we’ll be discussing different sides of integrating technology in the educational sector.
Where Are We in Terms of Advancements of AI in Education?
Maybe, it’s not fair to mention ChatGPT every time when a topic about AI starts, but well, the app was the first that was adopted widely. After ChatGPT was launched in November 2022, students quickly started using the tool to write essays, and do homework. One of them took a creative approach: first asking ChatGPT to generate a text, and then using a 3D printer to write the text on paper.
There have been a lot of concerns that ChatGPT and other chatbots will negatively affect students’ learning process, making them lazy, cheat, and avoid doing assignments. A number of universities and schools in different countries took steps to ban ChatGPT from their networks.
But soon the adaptation process began. Several months after the launch of ChatGPT, headlines about AI banning were replaced by headlines about AI adoption. Schools started to integrate AI into their teaching processes so that students weren’t left behind. More schools started to define rules on how to use the technology and required AI detection tools to find plagiarism. Although the tools aren’t totally reliable currently, we see a large progress toward the integration of AI by educational institutions. According to Bill Gates, AI will transform education in 10 years. In his letter “The Age of AI has begun” Microsoft co-founder writes:
I think in the next five to 10 years, AI-driven software will finally deliver on the promise of revolutionizing the way people teach and learn. It will know your interests and your learning style so it can tailor content that will keep you engaged. It will measure your understanding, notice when you’re losing interest, and understand what kind of motivation you respond to. It will give immediate feedback.
AI presents benefits for both teachers and students. According to 2023 research by Oxford University, 70% of teachers are optimistic about the role of AI in education. They mentioned that AI-powered tools can assist in evaluating students’ knowledge and preparing instructions. The research also shows that teachers need help in preparing for AI, as only the minority said they feel prepared. Generally, they mentioned three positive impacts of AI: content preparation, assessment, and personalization. One of the teachers said:
If it is used properly, it can only have a positive impact on student learning, creating individualized lessons for all types of learners, and not a ‘one for all’ methodology. I see AI as the ultimate teaching tool for the learner, where the teacher creates materials, questions, or activities for the learner to then use AI to ‘assist’ them in their learning path.
Different Forms of AI in Education: Student Engagement Monitoring and Robot Assistants
One of the largest experiments on how to use AI in education was done by China. In 2019, the country invested in AI headband devices to analyze children’s engagement and enhance performance in several schools. AI headbands monitor the brain signals of students and send the information to the teacher’s computer. Changing colors indicates if the student is focused or disengaged. Although the devices are considered to be helpful, China also received criticism for collecting private data about children.
Another use case of AI in education is robot lecturers and assistants. Social robots help teachers structure the class, keep track of the process, or provide lectures. One of the popular robot teachers is Yuki. He was introduced in 2019 to assist Professor Juergen Hunt at the University of Marburg, Berlin in holding interactive classes on digital teaching. Yuki can talk, set up presentations, ask exam questions, and assess the answers.
New social robots are being developed actively. This year, the South Korean government presented AI-powered robots to provide students with personalized learning experiences in English. The algorithm analyzes a student's skills and provides feedback. Students also will be able to engage in conversations through chatbot apps on a topic they want.
Personalized and Inclusive Learning Is the Future
Artificial Intelligence helps in addressing a number of challenges in education. The technology takes some stress off the shoulders of teachers, reducing their workload by assisting in evaluation and class monitoring. For students, AI means a personalized experience that meets their needs, which is especially important considering that around 250 million in the world are now out of school, according to the United Nations. AI tools have the potential to make education more accessible. In a possible future where every student may have a personal tutor, education will become more interactive and inclusive.
Anahit Avetisyan
Author
Web3 writer and crypto HODLer with a keen interest in market trends and recent technologies.
