The schools lockdown during pandemic have further buttressed the importance of artificial intelligence in education. During and after Covid 19, different schools are turning to AI in addressing the crisis and also to catch up with what has been missed during those lockdowns.
Artificial intelligence has proven to be a powerful teaching learning assistance. Parents, teachers and schools who were once sceptical about the usage have embraced it in full force. What was once science fiction has become a reality changing every facet of industries and education is not an exception. It is not only upping the game for teachers when it comes to teaching, students are also able to catch up with learning after the Covid 19 disruptions. Here, Mayur rele, a cyber security expert examines how artificial intelligence is playing a crucial role in education during these trying times.
Task automation
Grading tests, attendance, record keeping, replying to students, and many other administrative tasks teachers have to deal with. Not only time consuming, it may also contribute to boredom and affect teachers’ work efficiency. AI conducts tasks at lightning speed that human efforts can never beat. Work that could take teachers to achieve in two months can be carried out in two hours. Hence, teachers will be able to focus on their core assignment which is educating students. Rather than spending a huge amount of time on mundane repetitive tasks.
Personalised learning
Students are different and the approach to teaching should also be. Thanks to artificial intelligence that is helping out personalise every student learning journey. Teaching materials can be tailored according to students needs based on the knowledge gaps, learning pace, preferences and interests. AI can give teachers pictures of students’ specific needs, weaknesses, and abilities. Hence, students are addressed based on their unique needs for more productivity.
Tutoring
Although this cannot replace educators, its role in students learning cannot be overemphasized. AI tutoring like chatbots, and other intelligent tutoring systems are helping to cater to students outside the classrooms. From mathematics to science to any other subjects, students who need help in tackling challenging courses during self-study can always turn to AI tutors for help. This will help to improve student skills and understand areas they might be having difficulty with. Teachers as well do not need to tackle challenging subjects which in turn help to be more productive.
Smart content creation
With AI-powered automation, creating accurate and targeted educational contents has been made easy. It makes use of advanced data analytics to cater to students’ needs. With virtual information, digital textbooks, and visual learning, students are able to better understand course contents and achieve their academic goals in no time.
Universal learning
Mayur Rele believes artificial intelligence can help to achieve universal learning. Learning across different ethnicities, cultures, geographies and even disabilities have always been a challenge. With subtitles, AI can help students have access to real-time subtitles which makes it easy to learn no matter your language or geographical location. Students with hearing or visual impairments are also not left behind as AI powered tools are making it easy to learn more than ever. This goes without saying that AI is a tool for promoting global learning. Students have access to education in any part of the world and language is definitely not a barrier. A good plus for those in the rural areas who might otherwise not have access to quality education.
Feedbacks
Not only does artificial intelligence help students to learn better and faster when paired with their learning materials. It also helps to identify problems in learning where the naked eyes cannot quickly see. Moreover, providing feedback has always been an effective tool in education. It is undoubtedly time consuming and a challenge for teachers to analyse students’ learning and formulate effective feedback that requires action plans to improve performance. However, AI has been making this easier by providing detailed actionable feedback to both students and teachers. This helps to identify where improvements are required and get started on gaining mastery of it.
24/7 support
AI is accessible 24/7 to attend to students’ needs. Whether there are questions that need answers, or feedback to keep track of performance, or learning outside classrooms, the round-the-clock support is something to be reckoned with. Students do not need to wait on their teachers before they can learn or get their queries answered. Besides, students outside the country do not need to bother about incurring traveling expenses as they have access to education online. “For instance, AI was a life saver during pandemic as students were able to continue studies online. Students abroad are also able to access quality education online as they couldn’t travel to their study locations due to travel restrictions, Mayur Rele explains.”
Conclusion
Many fear that artificial intelligence is going to take over human tasks in years to come. However, it will only complement teachers duty helping in facilitating faster and easier learning and teaching. Aside from the above mentioned benefits, AI doesn’t get tired, bored, have mood swings, or become emotional that teachers are liable to be. AI is no more the future, but it’s happening now and it’s here to stay. Schools and colleges who are ready to be ahead of the curve are leveraging AI-powered tools in education.