Source – http://bweducation.businessworld.in/
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is impacting our lives in many ways. We seem to be going into a fascinating world of machines and robots, like some science fiction movie. And what do these machines do? They have been programmed to imitate human behaviour. According to John McCarthy, the father of Artificial Intelligence, it is “The science and engineering of making intelligent machines, especially intelligent computer programs.”
As for Robots, they are programmed to perform tasks, like a human being. Many of them even resemble one! We have already seen how computers can be programmed to complete several tasks with speed and in much less time. They are based on how a human being thinks; they have memory and can recall past actions and can understand languages that human beings use. Indeed, Artificial Intelligence has been used in so many applications today. We are using them in various fields too, as diverse as playing games like chess, making a medical diagnosis, shopping, or for searches on the internet. As for the field of education, Artificial Intelligence promises to make the process of teaching and learning a great experience for both the teacher and the student.
Artificial Intelligence is being used in education in many ways. For one thing, computer programmes can help the student, much like a private tutor, so that the student learns according to his individual needs and gets individual attention. It can help the student to know where effort has to be made and also helps the teacher to know the individual capacity of the student. The teacher can also monitor the student’s performance and know where the weakness lies. In other words, it can be used to help students in the learning process. Experts say that AI can also help teachers in grading students.
Since technology is growing day by day, AI can really make the learning experience more productive. It will take individual differences into account among the students and provide all of them with education, whether the student is very advanced, or just average, or has learning disabilities. Artificial Intelligence systems can be such that the individual’s ability to learn will be considered and the lesson will be presented accordingly. Teaching can be customized through AI systems. Such systems will make it easier for students to get individual attention and certainly reduce stress among students.
AI experts in the field of education also say that the students “receive feedback online or through text messages.” This saves the student, the embarrassment of receiving negative feedbacks in front of classmates. The student can absorb the feedback better and make the recommended effort to change. With a teacher, human feelings may interfere; personal likes and dislikes, bias and prejudices may also influence the teacher. After all, the teacher is a human being! So, in such cases AI can be an advantage.
The fact remains that educators may be hesitant to bring about major changes in the educational and assessment systems. But, we can hardly ignore the solutions presented by Artificial Intelligence.