Over the years, there have been many significant digital phenomena in education ranging from the invention of Apple the II computer to the implementation of distance learning in the curriculum of universities. The most recent and revolutionary IT invention is a learning technology based on artificial intelligence. And only time will show what all this can lead to.
Entefy highlighted the mobile phone in their latest news articles, which focused on teachers and parents. The evident potential of AI education, which we will be able to observe in the near future, lies in aiding teachers since it will undertake labor-intensive and low-value assignments, such as giving grades and keeping records. However, sophisticated AI systems of education are already being developed that will raise long-term questions about the place of AI in schools.
In addition, expert futurists are predicting that scientific and technological breakthroughs will take place under the influence of several factors: artificial intelligence, robotics, virtual reality and synthetic biology.
For an unambiguous interpretation, let us first define the AI term itself
According to the co-founder of the Singularity University Peter Diamandis, the definition of artificial intelligence is the computer’s ability to understand the meaning of the user’s requests and to present the most appropriate answer from all possible.
Based on this definition, we can conclude that the features of artificial intelligence are present in such systems as Siri, Google Now, Cortana on your mobile phone.
In the history of artificial intelligence development, there are several key events and breakthroughs:
IBM Watson won in the Jeopardy game where the technology of machine learning, as well as the processing of natural language and a large amount of data, were integrated. In 2011, the artificial intelligence system, developed by IBM, beat two champions in the game Jeopardy.
It was at this stage that the capabilities of artificial intelligence combined various technologies and showed that in the long term, there was a possibility of commercialization.
Siri / Google / Cortana set a new trend in the interaction of people and data. In the past few years, Siri and Google Now have proved that in order to get information, there is no need to use a laptop. Artificial intelligence learned not only to recognize speech but also learned to interact in a natural language.
Deep learning, which is used in neural networks and machine learning systems, allowed machines to do self-learning, adaption and evolving. Naturally, programming languages have stepped far ahead, but they still work on certain generally accepted rules and algorithms. In artificial intelligence systems a fundamentally new approach is used, in which computers are trained without human help.
Recognition of images and their interpretation have developed rapidly in the past few years. Tens of billions of images are stored on social networking servers (such as Facebook or Google Photos). Based on this information, they (and many other companies) develop technologies that not only can recognize facial features, but also define images. The system can tell which type of object it is.
Here are seven unprecedented ways artificial intelligence will change education:
- Teachers may have more free time
AI systems, which will take responsibility for keeping records and grading, will give teachers extra time, which they can devote to the students.
- Mass personalization will improve children’s health
If AI creates opportunities for mass personalization and decentralization of education, then the school schedule of students can better meet their needs. If students are still short of time when it comes to delivering on written assignments, they will still be able to get essays from EduBirdie writing company. Importantly, the service could contribute to solving long-term problems relating to sleep deprivation among college students.
- Parents will become more responsible for the education of their children
AI education means that parents can try on new roles of tutors, curators, and mentors as their children master new tools and platforms. This change will also significantly affect 3.1 million state and 0.4 million private school teachers, not to mention 3.4 million administrative employees and support staff.
- The instinct of teachers can conflict with sensory data
Face recognition based on artificial intelligence can provide learning systems with emotion data, further personalizing machine learning systems.
- AI will affect tuition fees
With a smaller number of centralized schools and teachers, tuition fees will be substantially reduced. However, if parents are more involved in the education of their children, families may face new direct costs, as well as hidden costs due to additional time needed for studies.
- Students may lose valuable non-academic communication with teachers
Going beyond purely theoretical knowledge, teachers will be able to develop extremely important skills in students, for example, problem-solving and critical thinking skills more efficiently.
- Individualized education can increase natural inequality
Today, the educational system focuses on standardization to reduce the achievement difference among students. AI learning systems that customize their lessons for the different needs of students will level this standardization, and some students will naturally move forward faster.
