The use of technology in education has always been the key driver of progress. Starting from the banalest advancements like calculators or blackboards to adopting gamified learning and other modern technologies – tech has always been transforming the way we learn. Thanks to years of innovations, modern students are empowered as never before. They have access to technologies and online tutors that help them keep their grades high. They also have access to online sources of information that empower their research. And there are many other examples of how technology makes students’ experiences better. But what is in it for teachers?
Despite the rapid development of technology, teachers still remain the cornerstone of education. Luckily, they can use the latest advancements to improve their practice too. One of the most trending advancements now is, of course, artificial intelligence. And in this article, we will tell you everything about how it’s improving educators’ work and life.
What Is AI?
Artificial intelligence (AI) is the simulation of human intelligence in computer systems and other machines. Simply put, it’s the ability of machines to perceive, synthesize, analyze, and even infer information, similar to how people do it.
This concept has been around for quite a while. The earliest successful program was designed in 1951 in Oxford. Nevertheless, we can say that this technology is still quite young. Machines are learning rapidly to become more intelligent. And while they do this, people find more and more applications of AI in different sectors.
Here is a video explaining AI –
A Brief History of AI in Education
Like other technologies, artificial intelligence quickly found its application in the educational sector after its first introduction. AI-based education (AIEd) has been developing so rapidly only in the last 10 years. Nevertheless, it emerged back in the seventies.
One of the first real examples of AIEd was Eliza. It was a natural language processing (NLP) software developed between 1964 and 1966 at MIT. The next example was a program called SCHOLAR. It asked students questions about South American geography and provided instant feedback on their responses.
These two tools were pioneers among intelligent tutoring systems (ITS). From the time of their creation, the concept of AIEd has been changing rapidly. It acquired new applications in the classroom, including:
- Automatic grading;
- Learning personalization;
- Intelligent tutoring.
Decades of innovation eventually brought this technology to its today’s form. Now, artificial intelligence has a variety of features and uses. It can mimic human conversations, provide feedback, analyze data, and do much more.
4 Ways AI Is Empowering Teachers
After around 60 years of development and improvement, artificial intelligence is now widely applied in classrooms. And its adoption is getting more widespread. It is more like a battle between technology and teachers.
Here are the top ways it’s already transforming teaching:
1. Delivering Personalized Support for Educators
Unfortunately, most educators lack adequate and timely feedback that would help them keep up with the times and grow professionally. This is the first area that can be improved with AI.
According to experts, this technology can help teachers refine their craft at scale thanks to personalized support and feedback. Here are a few examples of how it can be used for this purpose:
- New educators’ training. AI-powered language models can simulate real conversations between students and teachers. Thus, such tools can provide more effective, hands-on training for new professionals.
- Real-time feedback. Artificial intelligence can collect and analyze large volumes of data in real time. Thus, it can provide instant feedback and suggestions for educators.
- Subsequent feedback. This technology can analyze lessons and classroom dynamics post-factum. Thus, it can provide valuable insights into current teaching methodologies and give suggestions for improvement.
- Ongoing development. Finally, AI can help tutors receive quick updates on the latest trends and advancements in their field. This can help create a culture of ongoing professional development.
All in all, such personalized support is exactly what tutors lack right now. It can empower them to make their work more meaningful and efficient.
2. Collecting Insights and Adjusting Lessons to Students’ Needs
The use of AI in education is broadly associated with personalization. The tools powered by this technology can collect a lot of data in real time, analyze it, and form valuable insights. For example, with its help, tutors can gain insights into every student’s
- overall performance;
- knowledge gaps;
- strengths and weaknesses;
- emotional state;
- course progress;
- engagement level, etc.
Gaining all this knowledge can help teachers refine their lesson plans. It will enable them to match their academic programs to every student’s needs. Thus, the efficacy of such lessons will be increased.
3. Saving Time and Streamlining Daily Operations
Modern machines such as robots can perform a wealth of daily tasks. For tutors, this can help them save a lot of time and streamline daily operations.
First of all, AI can mimic conversations with students and, thus, provide learners with the support and feedback they need 24/7. This way, teachers don’t have to spend their time on this. Also, this technology can assist with lesson planning, educational materials creation, and even grading. Finally, it can collect and analyze student data, which also saves teachers time.
4. Enabling Learning With No Fear and Judgement
There is no secret that students’ fears of asking for help or asking “stupid” questions have long been interfering with the quality of learning. When students are afraid of being judged for their questions, they become less engaged and active in the classroom. Eventually, they fail to comprehend a subject because of not asking questions.
And they are forced to turn to some kind of college essay writing services for help with their assignments to keep their grades high. But what if they were more confident? Then, they could ask questions or request help with no fear. And this would significantly simplify their studies. That’s why for years, supporting students’ confidence was one of the primary goals of every tutor.
Unfortunately, they often fail. Teachers insist that there is no such thing as a stupid question. They also highlight the importance of asking for help. Nevertheless, many students are still afraid of judgment from their peers. This holds them back from fully engaging in the classroom. But artificial intelligence can solve this problem. According to experts, interacting with a machine feels more private and secure. Thus, it can help build students’ confidence and, thus, improve their learning outcomes.
The Bottom Line
AI has many potential uses in education. We can already see many real-life examples of schools adopting this technology. And we believe that the number of these examples will only grow.
As you now know, artificial intelligence holds a huge value for teachers. With its help, they can receive the support and tools they need to transform their practices for the better. So there is no doubt that it’s the future of education.