From personalised learning that takes advantage of AI to adapt teaching methods and materials to the needs of individual students and automated grading that frees teachers from the drudgery of assessing tests so they have more time to work with students, to intelligent systems that are transforming how learners find, and interact with, information, the opportunities AI offers to improve education outcomes and accessibility are truly remarkable, according to a recent blog
There are many classrooms around the world where educators teach very diverse groups of students, from different cultures, who speak multiple languages. Take The Dhour Shweir Public Secondary School, in Lebanon, for example. It improved the academic interaction between students and educators through the use of applications which provide real-time language translation, allowing students who speak different languages to communicate with one another. Such tools not only promote better collaboration and productivity, but also enhanced interaction between the students and their teachers.
Australian professor, David Kellermann, has also recently demonstrated how he created a unique learning experience for his university students – from a question bot that can answer students’ queries on its own, to a dashboard that shows how students’ exam answers compare to those of their peers, helping to build personalised study packs for future tests based on previous performance.
A new digital assistant recently launched by Staffordshire University is designed to help ease the stress and anxiety that many students experience in their first year at university. It takes advantage of the fact that students at Staffordshire are more likely to use their mobile ‘phones to find information, or search for help, than to talk to a lecturer or seek out a member of the university’s staff.
The assistant answers questions, suggests activities that students might be interested in, checks on their mood and supports them in their classwork. If the digital assistant detects signs that a student is struggling, it can send an alert to a university staff member who is able to offer help. By providing insights into how each student is adjusting to university life, and creating an avenue for delivering extra support quickly to those who need it, the hope is that it will reduce the dropout rate and help students thrive.
“As digital tools and technologies continue to transform the world we live in, the need to acquire new skills and embrace new tools is more important than ever,” Chris Rothwell, director of education at Microsoft UK, says. “Technology is an avenue to expand opportunities for learning both inside and outside the classroom, enabling students to achieve more and giving rise to new models of teaching.
“Whether it’s collaboration tools boosting peer-to-peer learning, or digital inking allowing students to draw, annotate and engage with their work, we’re already seeing the influence of technology in fostering critical skills such as teamwork, creativity and independent learning – skills which will stand students in good stead for the world of work. What’s more, technology can play a vital role in reducing teacher workload by making it easier for staff to collaborate and share work, automate simple tasks and give feedback in near real time.
“Alongside developing key skills, technology can also ensure that every student, regardless of their ability, can take part in the classroom. It’s essential to harness the power of technology in education to ensure all students and teachers are equipped with the skills they’ll need to thrive in the future.”
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