The pandemic has opened new avenues with new dimensions of education now being technological driven. Education worldwide has seen a metamorphosis as never before and stands revolutionised with a trend towards a technology-driven manifesto to transform the dynamics and learning systems across the globe. The chalkboard, books, homework classroom culture has completely shifted, paving the way for virtual classrooms and a personalised learning where both students and teachers will customize their pattern of learning. Integration of gadgets is pervasive than ever now— the use of stimulation, models, graphic holographic animation, 3D images light boards, and smart screens constructs the new normal for virtual classes.
Education no longer remains just an intervention knowledge dissemination process, rather it will be all about experiential learning. The new scenario with the digitalisation of teaching will depend on technology-aided Artificial Intelligence, machine learning, and virtual learning. Teachers would adopt new training to consider how it could influence better learning systems, which would eventually play a huge role in the future of teaching.
AI EDUCATORS
Eventually, education technology will incorporate emotion-sensing technologies with help of Artificial Intelligence educators to teach incorporating virtual reality in virtual classes that will be well aligned with adequate emotion quotient as desired. From conducting highly interactive personalized one-to-one sessions, to assessment of students, teachers would take better decisions in curriculum and class management. The observation, tracking, and feedback shared with the help of AI during class would help improve concentration and lead to more productive student performance. Assessment tools backed by AI can better monitor a student’s learning objectives.
AI AIDED CLASSROOM
AI in the field of education will be replicating the way a teacher thinks in measuring, understanding, simulating, and reacting to student’s emotions. The perception would remain beyond human versus machine, rather it will be machine augmenting the human emotion. AI as a tool can be compared with language or technology, and for that matter it will allow for much more natural interaction between students, teachers, parents, and machines. The concept of blended learning is evolving and is much more holistic than before. A preferred blended learning strategy included fact-to-face and online classes to engage critical thinking ablaze in minds of curious learners ignited. Learning partners will adequately arrange for a blend of elements comprising expert-led virtual learning, digital-on-demand with technical support information.
COMMUNICATIVE AI
Imagine with AI, effective communication will be established as the machine would know the users’ emotional state, and channelise the communication in the appropriate direction. The interaction patterns with other human beings when one speaks by looking at a face, and a body, with help of AI the interaction, adjust accordingly. If it knows the current emotional and mental wellbeing of the user, it will engage how you’re feeling, and know in advance how users will respond to specific feedback.
While human beings have mastered the art of reading emotions, machines today are being developed to gain the ground of developing strengths. Machines have been perfected at analysing voluminous data, and predicting the trend. Machines recognise users correlating it with happiness, anger, stress, or disappointment. Machines would analyze images to observe the subtleties in micro-expressions on user faces that could stand missed even for humans to recognize. Making use of technology through virtual reality connects with the socio-emotional well being, not just our analytical brains. It can also analyse the emotional state and enhance experiences to improve the knowledge transfer beyond the virtual classroom.
By understanding speech, machines can communicate in speech, in a manner to understand and communicate with humor and other kinds of emotions. Machines that can speak to a virtual class with that language of emotions are going to have better, more effective interactions within the class. With the user’s consent, the technology would study the user’s laptop and other devices to capture their reactions during learning experiences.
The voice-analytics software is based on years of human behavior research to identify voice patterns; similarly, behavior patterns can be identified and predicted based on human behavior research. The higher use of AI will analyse the speaker’s voice and phone use for signs of anxiety and mood changes. It will improve users’ self-awareness, and can increase coping skills including steps for stress reduction.
ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY
While much attention has been paid to class management in the virtual class, there still is a range of distractions that can impact the learning environment. Consider with AI, a teacher could be told if a student was the troublemaker in the class based on data and secretly share the information for the benefit of the class.
AI can be used as the assistive technology to aid emotional wellbeing monitoring for teachers and parents.AI can pick up on subtleties in facial expressions or body language even with a student with autism or with special needs that others might not be able to see.
One example is a situation in which the student expresses with “smile” or “frown” face, AI identifies and responds by addressing the emotions during the ongoing virtual class. Imagine a student employing laziness, and that being pointed out with machine language, to the utter surprise of the student.
AI AND VR BLENDED EDUCATION
AI is being researched for the last few decades across industries and verticals. During the pandemic, education has been digitalized with online virtual classes across schools being the new normal reality. Immersive blended learning in education with AI is here to stay along with virtual reality experience as the future unfolds. AI will be the reality that will be further researched and developed to be part of all future education.
AI aligned that ascertains emotional well-being should be welcomed by educators, yet the cost of inclusion of AI and VR in blended learning may be a cause of worry, too. Overall, the ultimate benefits of the technology are multifold that will be greater than the cost. Education partners embracing such coming of age technology need to promote healthy deliberations that include its benefits with parents and teachers.
AI can also advise on other mental health insights, that teachers might have missed otherwise. Another thing to keep in mind is that the technology is only as good as its programmer. Recognising emotions will remain a challenge and can be tough for a machine that’s trained on various accents, gestures, or voice changes of different cultures. The belief that every child is talented and is capable of learning is the pathway to revolutionise and embrace the child-centric driven education. For the future too, the incorporation of emotional intelligence, virtual reality, and expert-led digitalised education methodology will play an efficacious role in engaging teaching and learning experiences amid contemporary times.
The writer is Chairperson, Sai International Education Group. The views expressed are the writer’s personal.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the field of education will be replicating the way a teacher thinks in measuring, understanding, simulating, and reacting to student’s emotions. The perception would remain beyond human versus machine, rather it will be machine augmenting the human emotion. AI as a tool can be compared with language or technology, and for that matter, it will allow for much more natural interaction between students, teachers, parents, and machines.