Class is back in session, and there’s an exciting new kid in the world of academia: artificial intelligence (AI). The technology is changing the way lecturers teach and students learn by enhancing the role of mobile applications in the classroom and creating a more personalized educational experience.
AI will never replace teachers, but the technology can assist students in and outside the classroom with supplementary material. Plus, artificial intelligence in education can help teachers by automating the grading process, especially in large classrooms. Here are some of the top ways AI is revolutionizing the world of education.
Using AI to Grade Homework, Tests and Essays
Mobile apps that use AI can automate the process of grading homework and tests, allowing teachers to spend more time with each student. From multiple choice tests to fill-in-the-blank questions, automated testing isn’t new. However, AI-equipped apps can even grade essays, considering factors such as grammar, syntax, composition, transitions and more.
For instance, Harvard and MIT developed EdX to grade papers and offer feedback to students. The software uses machine learning—which identifies patterns based on data inputted into a system—to develop an understanding of what makes a good essay based on essays teachers provide. Based on this data, the software can grade papers and provide feedback. While the technology may not be perfect yet, it demonstrates the possibilities of using AI to automate the grading process. Automated grading would be a significant benefit of artificial intelligence in education, since teachers and professors would have more time to spend on lessons, lectures and other activities that could enrich the learning experience.
Customizing Content to Fit a Student’s Unique Needs
As a whole, the academic industry has been taking steps towards adjusting how much time and dedication it offers students who have unique needs. With artificial intelligence, mobile apps can ensure that each student is able to learn the material in their own way.
Companies such as Carnegie Learning have developed AI platforms that offer learning and testing tools for students from pre-K all the way through college. The software also examines where a student is in the learning process and suggests certain areas they may need to work on. The platform seeks to identify what teaching style works best for a particular student, then provides step-by-step examples in the ideal style.
Soon, every classroom could be equipped with mobile apps that offer supplementary material to students. Artificial intelligence is positioned to lead the charge when it comes to developing more personalized, technology-driven teaching methods.
The Benefits of Virtual Assistants in Education
Virtual tutors or online teacher’s assistants may sound like something in a dystopian future. However, the technology is already available in some classrooms, offering students an additional learning resource. This makes it easier for students to access the answers they need in real-time, as some virtual assistants are available 24/7.
Georgia Tech is one of the pioneers in this area. The academic institution developed Jill Watson, a virtual assistant that answers questions in an online forum that Georgia Tech students participate in. While Jill struggled with certain questions, some of her responses were so accurate and cohesive that students had no idea that Jill was not a real person.
AI chatbots like Jill Watson represent a significant benefit of artificial intelligence in education, This AI resource would provide another resource for students who may need extra help. They help free up time teachers might have spent answering questions and assist students by providing an accessible source for help. This
Chatbots Offer Feedback
In order to optimize the classroom experience for future students, teachers ask current students to fill out evaluations. However, the feedback process is still inefficient, making it difficult to truly identify what is working and what isn’t.
One way to bolster the efficacy of teacher evaluations is with AI-powered chatbots. Chatbots use machine learning and natural language processing to have realistic conversations with students via chat. A chatbot can respond to a student’s unique personality and concerns, asking them follow-up questions to understand why they hold a certain opinion. In this way, they can gather responses from students in a way that mimics a real interview. The end result is more accurate student feedback that can be used to improve the classroom experience.
The Exciting Future of Artificial Intelligence in Education
The benefits of artificial intelligence in education are many and varied. AI in the classroom has the potential to foster learning that is tailored to meet the unique needs of students in an ever-changing academic environment. The great thing about AI is that it can be brought directly to students in the form of mobile apps with supplementary material, online tutors and chatbots. At the same time, AI can free up time for teachers by automating certain tasks, thereby making the whole system more efficient.
In order to develop an education app that uses artificial intelligence, you will need to work with a talented development team. 7T specializes in custom mobile app development with extensive experience with AI technology. In addition, we provide services related to a host of other cutting-edge technologies, including predictive analytics, augmented reality, virtual reality, blockchain and natural language processing.
Headquartered in Dallas, 7T also serves clients in Austin, Houston and beyond. To discuss your project, we invite you to contact us today.
