The Future Is Here: The Power of Artificial Intelligence in Education

Artificial intelligence is now one of the main infodumps. Neural networks can draw, compose poems and even help to write a diploma. Students, schoolchildren and everyone who studies and teaches are getting tools that can change the entire field of education. How are they being used today?

Let’s explore in this article. Prepared by the authors of Eduboard company, we’re going to show you how artificial intelligence is used in education.

Why it matters

The market of technologies for education continues to actively develop, and artificial intelligence is a significant factor in this development. For example, experts from the University of Cambridge consider the increased use of AI technologies as one of the main EdTech trends for 2023. They note the growing demand for personalized learning, which is largely provided by artificial intelligence. In addition, according to some forecasts, the market size of AI technologies for education will grow by an average of 36.6% by 2030.

All these observations point to one thing: artificial intelligence is already changing the way we learn. And it’s not going to disappear from educational horizons. Schoolchildren, students, teachers and all adherents of the concept of lifelong learning are waiting for a future in which neural networks can be used both to complete tasks and to test them. And in a sense, it has already come.

So how is artificial intelligence being used in education now? We can distinguish several main directions:

• automation of routine tasks;
• personalization of learning;
• creation of content and educational applications;
• development of soft skills.

Automation of routine tasks 

Communication with students, grading, analyzing progress, checking standard assignments and preparing for classes – all of this can be delegated to artificial intelligence. For example, the Gradescope program allows schools and universities to automatically check standard assignments in various subjects and assign grades. This saves teachers’ time. According to McKinsey, on average, teachers spend more than 20% of their working time checking assignments and performing administrative duties.

Preparing for classes also takes a lot of time – about 20%. Assessment systems partially help to optimize this too. Artificial intelligence automatically generates feedback on assignments, teachers identify gaps in students’ knowledge and provide appropriate material. Some programs automate the composition of assignments. For example, PrepAI service allows you to generate a test based on lesson material. The teacher uploads a lecture, textbook chapter or other text, and the program automatically generates questions that can be varied in difficulty level.

Communication is partially automated by chatbots. They are used on educational platforms and apps, as well as in some schools and universities. Chatbots answer repetitive questions, help students and teachers assess their progress, allow them to perform simple tasks and automatically check them.

There are also quite unusual cases. For example, in one of the schools in the Chinese city of Hangzhou, smart cameras monitor which students are distracted during lessons. The system evaluates how a child’s facial expression changes and transmits this information to the teacher. The technology partially automates discipline control.

Learning personalization

Artificial intelligence makes it possible to customize learning to meet the individual needs of the student. The Carnegie Learning platform, for example, specializes in this. The MATHiaU algorithm tracks students’ actions and progress, gives feedback on assignments, and notifies the teacher in real time when a student needs help. All of this helps identify where a particular student or class is struggling and correct the situation.

Other algorithms show at which points the curriculum can be improved. For example, Coursera tracks questions that are often answered incorrectly and transmits this information to the course authors. They can change the wording or further explain the topic. And students get hints for the right answer.

What if you’re learning on your own? Thanks to artificial intelligence, you can learn anywhere, anytime and what you need. For example, some apps allow you to choose topics that interest you, rather than moving through a generic “how-to” book. In addition, by analyzing your activity history, the education platform can offer you personalized content that is relevant to your current level of knowledge.

Creating content and learning applications

Artificial intelligence is not only suitable for working with exercises and questionnaires. It can also be used to create educational videos and text content. For example, the Synthesys service specializes in this. You upload a script and the algorithm converts the text into speech or video. You can choose the language, voices and avatar, and edit the result to your liking.

In learning applications, AI technologies are used not only for personalizing content and communicating with chatbots. For example, in language-learning apps such as Duolingo, artificial intelligence can recognize a student’s speech. The algorithm analyzes grammatical constructions, vocabulary, pronunciation of words and shows the correct variant in case of errors.

In addition, artificial intelligence can remind you when to repeat the material. And in the Memrise app, the technology allows you to find out how an object of the real world is called in the language you are learning. For instance, you could use a smartphone app to determine the Spanish meaning of the word “chair” by pointing the camera at the chair in front of you.

Soft skills developing 

Some academics believe AI technology helps pump creativity, critical thinking, and even communication skills. Here are the following examples:

1. Students can make drafts of essays using a neural network and then write the essays themselves by hand – this helps them better understand a piece of literature. AI can also help in the financial world, such as offering a finance essay writing service that can generate finance-related essays. This technology has been incredibly useful for those looking to get a better grip on the subject and gain an edge over their peers.
2. The neural network can be used as an opponent in a debate who needs to be persuaded on an issue.
3. Students can analyze the neural network’s answers and check the facts – algorithms often make mistakes.

Words to conclude

The role of artificial intelligence in education is significant and will only grow in the future. AI has the potential to transform the field and provide tailored, efficient, and captivating learning experiences. Using AI for education promises great benefits for students, teachers, and lifelong learners. However, we must ensure that when we use AI, we balance the benefits of technology with human interaction and ethical considerations.