Unsurprisingly, a high school education is a significant predictor of a student’s career success. Individuals with a high school education make $10,000 more than their peers without a high school diploma. For students who go on to achieve a bachelor’s degree, they can expect to make over $20,000 more than individuals with a high school diploma alone. This increased earning potential is just one benefit education provides. However, the education industry is facing several challenges. Dropouts are still a concern for this industry, with 5.2% of students in 2021 dropping out of school. Additionally, the COVID-19 pandemic drastically changed how educators can teach, forcing the adoption of remote learning even when the necessary infrastructure was not in place. Lastly, the teacher shortage means larger class sizes and an increased workload for teachers still within the industry.
To address these challenges, artificial intelligence offers many solutions for the education industry. Some of these solutions include grading software, personalized learning, and gamification. These technologies have the potential to improve education, helping every student reach their potential.
Grading Software
You are likely familiar with the “bubble-in” tests used by most standardized tests. This test format is so popular because it can be graded by a machine, saving instructors time. However, not all content is well suited to this testing format. Grading software takes the concept of “bubble-in” tests and uses machine learning to grade tests, papers, and assignments of any format. This technology relies on artificial intelligence to review and grade a student’s work without assistance from the instructor. Before these machine learning algorithms can be used, they must first be trained. Training these algorithms involves feeding them assignments that have already been graded by the teacher. Once the algorithm understands the instructor’s grading criteria, it can use the same logic to grade student’s work. This technology is advantageous as it saves instructors’ time. This is especially important with larger class sizes.
Another advantage of grading software is the neutrality and fairness it provides. One experiment found teachers grade Black students more harshly than White students. This resulted in a 5% reduced score for Black students, even when submitting the same work as their White peers. Fortunately, clearly defined grading criteria, which machine learning algorithms rely on, eliminates this racial bias. Utilizing grading software not only saves teachers’ time, it also ensures all students are graded fairly regardless of their race.
Personalized Learning
Another AI-powered trend emerging in education is personalized learning. Personalized learning is a way of analyzing the topics a student already understands along with the topics they need to learn to create learning materials and schedules tailored to the student. Think of personalized learning like a personal trainer. A personal trainer first determines a client’s fitness level before creating a fitness plan based on the client’s fitness goals. Personalized learning works the same.
Personalized learning relies on a suite of tools to create individualized learning plans and schedules. One such tool is adaptive learning. Adaptive learning works by analyzing students’ performance data to determine learning rates, strengths, and weaknesses. Once these factors are calculated, adaptive learning adjusts the educational content and activities to suit each student. Another personalized learning tool is natural language processing (NLP). NPL uses virtual assistants and chatbots to answer students’ questions. This technology can also be used to simulate interviews and meetings to help students build essential soft skills.
Gamification
Gamification is the process of using games to further learning. This educational tool is well received by students. 67% of students in the United States prefer gamification learning over other learning types. This technology utilizes rewards to motivate students. When students complete a learning task, they receive a reward such as points, badges, or scores. These rewards trigger the dopamine neurotransmitter in the brain, which is linked to pleasure and rewards.
However, gamification is not without its detractors. Since gamification relies on rewards, there is concern about the anxiety some students feel when they do not achieve the reward. Another concern is the screentime associated with gamification. Most gamified learning relies on computers or other screens. The Academy of Pediatrics recommends no more than one to two hours of screen time for school-aged children. Gamification could exceed the recommended screen time for students, with potential harmful effects. A final concern of gamification is its emphasis on competition. Since students work alone to reach the rewards, they do not have a change to build essential interpersonal skills such as cooperation and sharing.
Transforming the Future of Education
The importance of the education industry cannot be overstated. However, this industry faces several challenges that impact not only students but also the teachers educating them. Artificial intelligence offers several tools to address these challenges. Grading software, personalized learning, and gamification are effective tools that can save teachers time and improve student’s educational experience. While these tools have some potential drawbacks, teachers are finding unique ways to incorporate AI tools in the classroom, helping students learn more and prepare for their future.
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