Many of us have heard the term Artificial Intelligence (AI) circulating on the internet, or TV. However, to clear things up, here is a brief clarification of what it means:
AI refers to machines and systems that emulate human intelligence to perform. AI can improve itself based on the data it collects. At its core, AI refers to technological capability and processes for enhanced data analysis and thinking.
On a side note, balance your knowledge of technology with a dash of mysticism and take a peek at astrology essay topics or something similarly otherworldly. If you are trying to become a writer – exploring unconventional topics can give you the practice you need to get started.
Here is our analysis on AI and education:
AI in Administration
A vast majority of educational institutes, whether they’re universities or high schools, use Enterprise Resource Planning software (ERP) to conduct and oversee a variety of administrative tasks/records. These include:
- Student registration
- Course allocations
- Human Resources
- Financing records
Evidently, human operators are still needed to fill out the necessary information in these applications or records, but the ERP systems will only get more and more automated, with the help of AI.
In the not-so-distant past, ERP systems were monolithic – they worked separately and did not interact/work with other systems. Moreover, the coding for these systems was complex and expensive. However, these days ERP systems are not as monolithic, they bring different processes into one system.
Modern ERP systems that are available today can offer many benefits such as improved security and low-code customization. Modern ERP systems protect data with the help of AI much more efficiently than they used to, and since a lot of sensitive information is becoming digitalized this is an important asset to have. AI decreases the chance of data loss and protects computers from cyber-attacks.
Some prominent ERP services that are on the market are provided by Microsoft, with their Microsoft Dynamics 365, which is mainly marketed towards businesses. But institutions can easily integrate this sort of service for their own administrative needs.
AI encourages this type of learning and it can already help students provide a more personalized approach to All You Can Books learning.
AI in Academic Organization
Because of the forced transition into digital learning in recent years because of the Covid-19 pandemic, no doubt that the role of AI in academic management has become more relevant.
AI has demonstrated that it can take on a multitude of tasks:
- It can evaluate papers
- It can grade papers
- It can assign homework
This type of assistance makes life much easier for faculty, staff, and teachers.
AI in Online Learning
There are many companies offering services that are AI-driven to enhance learning and especially online learning. AI encourages this type of learning and it can already help students provide a more personalized approach to learning. Curriculum design, focus on structure and easing the procedures of teaching are just a few of the benefits of using AI in eLearning.
And on more technical terms AI can:
- Integrate with LMS systems (Learning Management Systems)
- By integrating with LMS, AI can share study material
- Create and view course/educational videos
- Create and view images, audio, presentations
- Enables students to attend classes and take exams online
Curious as to what is available on the market? Here are a few companies leading with AI:
- Netex Learning: This company lets teachers design their curriculum through numerous tech devices and platforms. Netex Learning promises to teach and help educators who are not the most tech-savvy, to enable them to incorporate audio and video into their lessons, as well as create custom material for their students.
Moreover, Netex wants to provide tools to teachers for digital lessons, video conferences, and learning analytics to name a few. All of this will be done in a learning cloud platform.
- Knewton: This company based in New York creates AI-driven learning technology for schools in higher education. Their program called ‘alta’ helps students identify gaps in their knowledge. It then provides relevant coursework that will fill in those gaps.
Alta also helps teachers in subjects such as chemistry, maths, economics, and statistics.
- Content Technologies, Inc.: This company is an AI company that uses Deep Learning to produce customized and personalized textbooks. These cram and highlight only the most relevant information in a book – it basically produces a study guide. At least, that’s one of the business units of Content Tech.
The company believes in efficient and personalized teaching/learning. That is why they want their AI to cut through the sugar on existing material. Now, isn’t that progressive?
- Carnegie Learning: This company’s ‘Mika’ software uses AI technologies to provide personalized tutoring and feedback for students in higher education. Specifically helping students who might be having difficulties. The aim is to keep them from having to take remedial courses.
They do this because the company has stated that the costs for remedial learning for college are around $6.7 billion yearly. And they want to provide their services to help cut these costs.
Final Words
Conventional thought has spoken against online learning. But since the Covid-19 many institutions have been propelled forward into embracing digital learning. Consequently, we think this approach has had a positive effect on the improvement of AI technologies.
Technology should continue to integrate more and more with academia in the near future and the future to come. Institutes mustn’t focus on negative drawbacks, but on how they can use technology efficiently and ethically for their interests.
The majority of innovators that are leading with AI technologies ideally want to achieve systems that help humans optimize tasks and cut the time and costs of achieving them. Some AI services are still on the pricey side of things. But the normalization of AI in everyday life could probably make it more accessible to the masses.
One of the clearest obstacles as of now is to encourage educators to learn how to use these up-and-coming technologies and not reject them because of not knowing how to use them.
Leave a Reply