Education is considered one of the most conservative sectors, where every innovation causes misunderstandings among people. Yet, the power of artificial intelligence can solve the complex problems faced by students or teachers and improve the quality of education. Today, working technologies and methods have already appeared, which are actively used by large educational centers.
The Role of Artificial Intelligence in Learning
Artificial intelligence is a broad concept. It encompasses any technology that reproduces human thinking and skills, such as understanding complex information, concluding on your own, and the ability to engage in meaningful and coherent dialogue. Artificial intelligence is so fast-growing that using an AI detector is becoming a trend.
Machine learning is a subtype of artificial intelligence, a process in which software learns in the same way humans. During this training, the program analyzes large data layers and looks for patterns to classify information or create predictions. The cyclical nature of such an algorithm of actions allows the program to learn, changing its intentions depending on the preliminary conclusions.
Artificial intelligence can perceive much more information than humans. This means that it is much faster and more accurate to complete tasks. Today two technologies are most commonly used in education.
Adaptive Learning
Adaptive learning is one of the most critical areas for introducing artificial intelligence in the educational sphere. When organizing teaching something, a specific problem always arises: future students have different levels of initial knowledge and abilities to assimilate the curriculum, not to mention motivation. As a result, each teacher is faced with an unsolvable task: how to convey the essential thing to weak students and at the same time give the necessary load to capable students?
The solution to this problem lies in the introduction of adaptive technologies. In theory, artificial intelligence will monitor each student’s progress and form an individual learning plan for him, selecting the most successful sequence of topics and tasks. Another option is to inform the teacher about the degree of assimilation of certain blocks of the course based on each student’s learning.
Proctoring
Distance learning implies passing exams in the same distance form. In this case, it isn’t easy to control the student’s honesty. For this, proctoring technologies are being developed – tracking students while writing control and examination papers. Previously, this meant observing a student through a webcam.
Things are much more complicated now. Artificial intelligence is trained to track all students at once and notices a large number of details: whether there are extra people in the frame, whether there are extraneous voices in the room, whether the student is trying to switch the browser tab or turn on extraneous programs, how often the student looks away from the monitor. When the system registers suspicious activity, it notifies the teacher. Professor connects to a specific webcam and personally monitors the student.
Which Educational Companies Use AI?
Many companies and educational institutions use AI today. Let’s take a look at the most successful ones who have achieved good results and benefit the students.
Enlearn
Seattle-based Enlearn has developed an adaptive learning platform that uses machine learning to create personalized curricula that accelerate the learning curve for each student. The Enlearn team notes that their product breaks down the learning process into hundreds of small and invisible components at once to then analyze what exactly interferes with the student’s effectiveness.
Then the program, like a real tutor, helps the student to improve their weaknesses before continuing to study new material. For example, it renders online statistics homework help or assistance in the analysis of complex researches. The program uses technology developed by the University of Washington Center for Game Science. She improved the efficiency of studying algebra at the seventh-grade level by an average of 93% in just an hour and a half of using it.
“Artificial intelligence can foster a personalized approach,” said Zoran Popović, director of the Center for Game Science and founder of Enlearn. The organization’s founder also says that the platform can provide the curriculum that the student needs at the moment.
GoGuardian
Los Angeles-based company GoGuardian uses machine learning technologies to improve web filtering and monitoring in Chromebooks. According to company employees, filtering sites based on web addresses can be problematic as the Internet is constantly changing.
Instead of blocking students from accessing immoral and harmful sites based on their name and address, the software uses artificial intelligence to identify such sites based on their content. The developers provided the program with samples of inappropriate information for specific age categories, and she learned to distinguish between them. Users can constantly report some inaccuracies in the program, improving it when it incorrectly designates a site as prohibited.
GoGuardian sends automatic alerts to the teacher when students search the Internet for something inappropriate and suspicious or create a document with inappropriate content. This real-time behavior monitoring function can prevent students from traumatizing themselves or others. So, if the administrator sees that the student is looking for information on committing suicide, he can prevent a potential disaster.
Yuanfudao
The company offers a variety of online courses for students. At the moment, the project has more than 200 million users. An AI-powered homework help app scans the assignment, recognizes the problem, and suggests the most appropriate solution.
Duolingo
The Duolingo language service is actively using the integration of artificial intelligence and machine learning. This allows you to personify the entire educational process from preliminary testing to adapting lessons to individual progress and the dynamics of the development of individual language skills.
University of Georgia & MATHiaU
Artificial intelligence is used not only by language schools but also in all online education segments. The University of Georgia uses a chatbot built on AI algorithms informing applicants about enrollment, curriculum, financial issues. MATHiaU by Carnegie Learning uses artificial intelligence to help underperforming students with math, allowing the teacher to tailor the learning process to the student’s needs.
What Else is AI Capable of in Education?
AI can make education better, cheaper, and more accessible. Scientists identify the following segments where AI can improve the educational process.
AI Replaces Tutor
The AI ​​tutor is always with the student. Some applications allow you to go in at any time and further explore an incomprehensible topic. AI also assists in tasks such as calculating in chemistry. The algorithms analyzed thousands of school papers, identified problem areas, and created one-to-one lessons to fill knowledge gaps. In addition, this analysis gives teachers an idea of ​​the student’s abilities and the opportunity to adjust their curriculum. There are several tutor apps available now:
- Brainly is a social network where students interact to discuss school assignments and share useful writing services, such as Studybay, capable of solving tasks.
- Thinkster Math is a math tutor app. The app offers step-by-step problem solving and math skills development with videos and quick answers.
- Netex Learning helps teachers incorporate interactive audio and video content into their lessons. With Netex Learning, teachers can create their curriculum for a variety of digital platforms.
AI Automates Knowledge Assessment
Checking homework and tests can be a tedious task, even for experienced teachers, who often point out that they would much better spend this time on thorough preparation for lessons and active interaction with students. Therefore, scientists have developed AI that can automate the assessment of knowledge.
Of course, there are drawbacks to automating knowledge assessment. A reliable internet connection is required to work effectively. While AI may never truly replace teachers, the programs are very close to an accurate assessment of knowledge. Educators can now automate grading for nearly all kinds of multiple-choice assignments.
AI Analyzes Student Behavior
AI cameras can not only automatically monitor attendance but also analyze student behavior. These systems can recognize and evaluate how they respond to various topics and tasks, how easily they collaborate, work alone, are distracted, and so on.
Likewise, some European AI startups are using a combination of data analysis, neuroscience, and cognitive analysis to track progress, identify interest, identify knowledge gaps, and provide advice on how to solve problems. This allows teachers to identify students’ interests, strengths, and weaknesses, thereby providing a more comfortable and effective learning pace.