New Delhi, January 20, 2023: The term artificial intelligence (AI) has established its presence in the global landscape. Though AI is yet in its nascent stages, the technological revolution that it is going to bring and already bringing in all walks of life is tremendous. The impact of AI technological systems on the education sector merits great consideration and meticulous analysis. Personalised learning is an aspect that falls primarily in this area.
When we think about it, there has been much talk about the shortage of teachers in schools in India, but much less has been done to address the issue. Amongst several other factors, this appears to be the key reason that there are overcrowded classrooms and hence a poor student-teacher ratio.
When the student-teacher ratio is not ideal, it is bound to affect student learning outcomes, and this is something that we as a country should not take lightly.
Here is where the role of AI comes in. Believe it or not, AI is not only here to stay, but it is also going to completely change the world with might and main. AI is not merely going to be a technological advancement; it is going to be a momentous development in human history.
If we talk about it in the context of education, AI holds great scope for a personalised teacher-learning process.
Every student is different, and different are their needs in terms of the pace of learning, strong and weak spots, areas of interest, and optimal learning methodology. When there are so many differences that could transform the world into a variegated place to live in, it makes little sense that students are exposed to the same age-old methods of learning, curriculum, tools, and fields to explore.
Also, it has now become hackneyed to say that the teachers should endeavour to be facilitators of knowledge and the conventional “one-size-fits-all” approach to the education system needs a radical overhaul. So, this comes across as astonishing that the benefits of AI in education are largely uncharted. A few of them are as follows.
- AI-enabled educational systems could help customise learning material and tailor it according to the unique needs of every student.
- AI enhances the active involvement of students in their learning and increases their learning outcomes through Big Data and predictive algorithms.
- AI could help create the best learning environment for every student and set out a continuously adapting learning path for them.
- AI-enabled systems could make students confident about their capabilities and reduce their anxieties by deriving positive aspects of their performance.
- AI could help make learning inclusive for different kinds of students and ensure their holistic development by catering to their specific habits, abilities, and requirements.
- AI could optimise the teaching-learning environment and provide constructive and constant feedback to students on the basis of their learning trajectories.
- AI could become companions and mentors, and students could ask their questions and queries at any point in time from any location.
- AI could help in content generation, and students could avail of tailored study material, tests, and evaluation criteria.
- AI could help to increase the problem-solving abilities of students and boost their strategic thinking and communication. It shows much promise in rebuilding the education system for new-age learners.
- AI is conducive to effective learning, especially in fields such as language studies and vocational training.
The integration of AI into education systems is sure to relieve educators of repetitive tasks pertaining to checking papers and such. This way, educators could focus more on developing curriculum for students and become more than information providers in their lives and all-round development. Since AI better acknowledges the heterogeneity that exists between learners and within learners, this facilitates the best outcomes for them.
Rather than replacing teachers, AI is a tool that could be wielded by teachers as a weapon to form the future leaders of the nation and the world.
True that the integration of AI is going to be difficult. There is a lack of adequate digital infrastructure and training. Also, AI poses data security risks, requires significant investment, aggravates the issue of affordability for middle and low-income households, and is complex to operate.
However, the data rules the day as well as the years to come. A slow and steady transition to AI in the educational system seems to be the only option for schools if students are to be made future-ready. As Dave Waters once remarked, “Predicting the future isn’t magic, it’s artificial intelligence.”
