Undoubtedly, the future of education is intrinsically coupled with the developments of new technologies and the computing capacities of the new intelligent machines. In particular, artificial intelligence and machine learning open up new possibilities for both learners and teachers at every level of education, from preschool to universities.
Many pieces of research demonstrate that AI can play a significant role in education because the application of such technologies encourages more flexible learning solutions for students without any limitations. For instance, with the help of AI, universities worldwide can enroll an increased number of students due to increased flexibility and speed.
AI consists of all forms of electronically reinforced learning, processing, and teaching. These AI-influenced environments’ easy and flexible structure empowers learners to accommodate their personal needs in their time learning.
Thus we can say that AI is a well-designed tool that offers flexible arrangements, collaboration opportunities, options, and control over the learning process that can provide learners and teachers with the opportunity to pursue the learning process effectively.
Online Literacy
Just as we might think of literacy as the fundamental step to learning anything, online and digital literacy will also become critical shortly. The ability to ‘find, evaluate, utilize, share, and create content using information technologies and the Internet.’ is already a significant part of education. There are no signs that this will change any time soon. We should all ensure that we have good online literacy skills.
Your current online literacy most likely depends on your technological age. It is not surprising that a recent study from ExpressVPN found that different age groups engage in very different ways with technology and social media. For example, many older people prefer to use tablets or e-readers over smartphones, which are preferred by the younger demographic to access social media such as YouTube and Instagram.
In another survey focusing on artificial intelligence, men have a more favorable view of this technology than women. For example, 53% of men in the US view AI as a good thing compared to 40% of women. Whatever demographic we fall into, it is clear that we need to learn to adapt and learn how to use these technologies, as they will continue to impact how we take in knowledge.
Accessible Education
The adoption of AI and machine learning in education can greatly improve inclusion and equality. Over the past few years, the global crisis significantly impacted the education sector, changing the approach to schooling permanently. For example, The Teacher Marketplace has been created to provide safe, equal, and accessible education across the United States through educational technology or EdTech.
AI and machine learning will potentially bridge the socioeconomic gap in education, giving access to information to all students, whether disabled or facing other academic needs. Artificial intelligence, machine learning, augmented reality and virtual reality all have the potential to provide inspiring, engaging, and creative learning experiences for everyone.
These technologies will also help teachers overcome the challenge of large classrooms. With instant assessments, they will have the ability to identify failing or struggling students faster to better tailor lessons as needed and provide assistance to students with additional needs.
Out-of-date information and lack of resources could be a thing of the past, with free and accessible textbooks and educational resources accessible to everyone from the wealthiest to the poorest schools. Such technology has the potential to significantly improve education equality globally.
Frees Up Teachers
Jill Watson, an AI-powered teaching assistant, was created at Georgia Tech back in 2016. This impressive educational AI answered students’ questions so well that students could not tell the difference between the human teacher’s assistants and Jill by the end of the semester. In no way is the utilization of AI and machine learning in education intended to replace teachers, but rather to free up their time to focus more on personalized engagement and monitoring of students.
In traditional educational systems, teachers spend, on average, half of their time taking care of non-teaching-related activities. If used effectively, AI educational systems can monitor and access students’ progress continuously, and teachers can then readily access student information. With access to individual feedback, AI provides a personalized and effective learning environment, highlighting potential knowledge gaps and assisting teachers with future planning.
AI and machine learning will help transform education in the future and enable teachers to provide detailed continuous assessments, delivering more personalized education for all students’ benefit.
