The potential of artificial intelligence is pretty incredible, right? From chatting with you about any topic you want to providing valuable suggestions about optimizing processes, AI can go far when it comes to a wide range of actions–including education. How? Well, in this article, we’ll dive deep into the role of AI in personalizing education, exploring exactly the effect that it can have, how it can help us improve educational processes, and what we can expect in the future.
Let’s dive right in.
AI & Education
You might be thinking: hasn’t there been quite the uproar about the use of AI in education? From students using ChatGPT to write their essays to explaining difficult concepts instead of actually learning them, the introduction of everyday and widely accessible AI tools has led to some confusion about what exactly AI’s role in education should be.
So before we dive into the transformative and positive effect that AI can have on education, it’s important to review the relevant concerns of artificial intelligence in the educational sector:
An overdependence on technology: although AI tools that can provide answers to math problems or history questions in a matter of seconds may seem like the best way to pass a test, this can lead to an overdependence on technology and a lack of development when it comes to critical thinking skills.
Unfair bias: as you probably have heard, AI tools are only as accurate and unbiased as the data sets they are trained on and bias that slips by could have potentially drastic effects on an education system.
Less human interaction: in a world where we’re spending an increasingly high amount of time on our devices, this could lead to a lack of development of important social and human skills.
Equal access: although AI is certainly increasing overall access to information through its easy and user-friendly methods, internet access is still required to use the tool, which means that areas with spotty or limited connection won’t have the same access.
Privacy: you know that AI is backed by data and improves its processes over time as more data is collected from users; the exact process of how that data is protected and collected is in question, however, as more people want to be sure their data is safe within AI tools.
Although these concerns are major, let’s remember one thing: we’re still at the beginning of the AI revolution and there’s a long way to go. As we continue to advance and make AI a more normal part of our everyday life, we will see these concerns become solved and more regulations put in place to guarantee the safe and sustainable usage of AI tools.
With these concerns clearly outlined, it’s time to dive into the pluses of using AI in education.
The benefits of AI in education
Don’t be scared by the aforementioned concerns; AI’s role in the educational sphere is still relatively new and like with anything, there will be things to work out and new concerns to keep in mind. And to show you that, let’s explore some of the benefits of AI’s role in the educational world:
Personalization: one of the main critiques of the traditional educational system is the lack of personalization for students who are more advanced, falling behind, or maybe require special assistance. With AI, the days of ‘one size fits all’ are long gone and students can benefit from AI programs that help them move at the right pace and get the help they need.
Cost-effective learning: hiring a teacher to meet every student’s individual needs is simply not possible but with AI tools to help provide personalized assistance as needed, the cost per student is significantly reduced.
Removes barriers to education: the rise of remote learning and a technology-forward attitude has allowed previous in-person requirements to be removed, allowing more and more people, regardless of their location or availability, to be able to access the same educational tools.
Promotes technology-first attitudes: AI is naturally technology-forward and therefore will allow students who use AI tools valuable digital skills that will serve them going forward in their personal and professional lives.
All of these benefits are great arguments for the introduction of AI into the educational system, but we’re going to dive deeper into one specific element: personalization.
AI Personalization in Education
As we briefly mentioned above, personalization provides quite a few benefits for the educational world and truly has the potential, when used correctly, to transform the way we learn and teach. To begin, we’ll highlight three areas where personalization in education shines.
Personalized learning programs
The idea of 1-1 learning is obviously the ideal, but not a reality in the vast majority of cases. However, data shows that smaller ratios of students to teachers result in better outcomes and here’s where AI comes in: with the help of AI systems that can evaluate a student’s work, see where they’re lacking, identify areas for improvement, and provide limitless examples for students, these personalized learning programs will help students advance in their studies–all while ensuring they’re actually learning.
For students that have diverse learning situations, limitations, or varied backgrounds, personalized AI tools can also help them stay on track and fill in any gaps they may have without separating them from the rest of the class or demanding extra work or hours from teachers.
Tutoring and real-time feedback
Waiting for a teacher to grade tests or edit papers is quite time consuming but with AI tools such as virtual tutors, students can get real-time feedback and answers so that they can see exactly where they went wrong and make sure they adjust their work for their next submission. Newer versions of AI tools are even able to interact with students, allowing them to ask questions and receive helpful answers that help them learn and advance in their studies.
Data analysis of performance
In large or diverse classrooms, it can be hard for teachers to know exactly where each student is struggling and in what area; with AI tools to analyze student data and provide personalized reports about their individual performances, learning journey, and results, teachers will have a better understanding of what exactly needs to be done to properly teach each student.
Institutions and instructors who employ AI personalization tools in their classrooms will benefit from:
Higher engagement and motivation from students when it comes to advancing in their studies.
Better results on state-wide tests and exams.
Happier and more fulfilled students and families.
An efficient use of educational resources.
The potential of AI personalization in the educational sphere is truly unmatched and we can expect to witness quite the advancement in the near future as more and more schools and teachers welcome AI into their classrooms.
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