8 Practical Ways to Use AI in Learning

Posted on June 10, 2019 by Jacqui

Every year, education finds new ways to make learning more inclusive and diversified. The latest change agent is Artificial Intelligence (AI), now being used in classes to focus learning, simplify redundant tasks, and infuse lesson plans. Ask a Tech Teacher contributor, Kamy Anderson has eight practical ways to use AI in learning:

Artificial intelligence (AI) is disrupting the education industry. Traditional classrooms may not go extinct anytime soon, but edtech will certainly change the way we learn and think about learning. It’s already challenging us, as educators, to revisit our role as sole providers of formal knowledge and professional L&D. And we must admit, AI is making things better and easier.

These are the eight practical ways to use AI in learning:

1. Smarter Content

The primary ability of AI is to collect and analyze data. Not only is this technology designed to sift through massive amounts of information but it is also ingrained with powerful curation capabilities. As a result, AI helps create smart educational content that’s being used in both classrooms and online courses. Using AI, we can deliver textbooks, lesson summaries, and flashcards that are highly focused, relevant, and applicable. Moreover, AI-empowered edtech can keep updating content with the latest findings from leading academic researchers and scientists.

2. Videos and Tutorials

As an authoring tool, AI goes beyond textbooks and traditional studying guides. After all, this is the age of digital content and interactive mediums. It is only natural that this cutting-edge technology can create videos, infographics, and slideshows for learning purposes.

3. Gamification

We’ve long struggled with ways to motivate students and keep them engaged during classroom lectures and online courses. Gamification seems to be one of the most effective approaches we could find, but it wasn’t until AI that we could unlock its full potential. Today, AI-based VR technology allows us to emulate real-life scenarios and create immersive learning experiences. As a part of experiential learning, gamification boosts not only engagement but also retention level of learners. Potential applications of AI are unlimited in this context.

4. Personalized Learning

Then again, not all students thrive on gamification. Learning styles, behaviors, and habits have become more diverse. The one-size-fits-all approach doesn’t suffice anymore, with the eLearning environment growing more inclusive and capable of catering to different, highly specific needs of individual students. And thanks to AI, it’s all because of its ability to monitor and learn. Especially in terms of online courses, we can now speak of self-paced, personalized learning paths based on individual interests, ambitions, and requirements. Without AI, this level of individualization would hardly be achievable in learning environments.

5. Digital Mentorship

AI relies on machine learning (ML) algorithms and natural language processing (NLP). Taken together, these two capabilities enable chatbots and other digital assistants to communicate with students and provide real-time guidance and support 24/7 across all devices. Chatbots can answer students’ questions, provide explanations to abstract concepts, and forward learning materials on demand. This way, points of confusion can be addressed and resolved the moment they occur, enabling successful knowledge acquisition.

6. Continual L&D

Organizations can leverage AI for professional L&D too. In both on-boarding and employee training programs, edtech can help businesses reduce learning times and turnover rates. More importantly, AI enables continual learning and development based on role requirements as opposed to traditional training.

7. Automated Grading

AI helps automate administration across the industry beyond everyday routine tasks. We’ve already mentioned how this technology can optimize the content creation process by researching, curating, and updating learning materials, but that’s certainly not all. Let’s take online assessment tests as an example. Artificial intelligence can automate grading in online courses too, though this capability is currently limited to multiple-choice tests. Soon enough, AI will also be able to assess written responses. With that, assessments will be fully automated and error-free.

8. Real-Time Tracking

Many current benefits of educational AI would not be possible without this technology’s unique ability to track and analyze student progress in real time. This enables us to provide personalized guidance to students, as well as detect knowledge gaps. Consider the many implications of this functionality. By analyzing students’ key performance indicators, AI can give real-time recommendations of what needs to be improved and in which direction individual learning paths should develop. Using this insight, we can keep maximizing their performance indefinitely.

At the same time, we can gain a deeper understanding of the students’ needs and pain points and adjust our courses accordingly. It’s not hard to see how this capability can play a crucial role in the further development of teaching techniques and educational institutions.

*******

Whether we like it or not, AI will transfor m the global learning environment as we know it. The only thing we can do about it is to embrace the change and reap the benefits. Luckily for our students, they will make education more personalized, engaging, and effective.

Author Bio

Kamy Anderson is an ed-tech enthusiast with a passion for writing on emerging technologies in the areas of corporate training and education. He is an expert in learning management system & eLearning authoring tools – currently associated with ProProfs Training Maker.

More on education reform

10 Myths about Teaching with Tech

3 Book Reviews about Anthropomorphized Computers

Can an AI Save the World?

Jacqui Murray has been teaching K-18 technology for 30 years. She is the editor/author of over a hundred tech ed resources including a K-12 technology curriculum, K-8 keyboard curriculum, K-8 Digital Citizenship curriculum. She is an adjunct professor in tech ed, Master Teacher, webmaster for four blogs, an Amazon Vine Voice, CSTA presentation reviewer, freelance journalist on tech ed topics, contributor to NEA Today and TeachHUB, and author of two tech thrillers. You can find her resources at Structured Learning.

Categories: Education reform, Guest post | Tags: AI | Leave a comment

Subscriber Special: Group PD at a great price

Posted on June 7, 2019 by Jacqui

Every month, subscribers to our newsletter get a free/discounted resource to help their tech teaching.

June 8th-10th:

Discounted Group Professional Development

Each $750 for up to 20 attendees

Pick a topic:

Tech infused Teacher/Classroom

Writing With Tech

Building Digital Citizens

20 Webtools in 20 Days

Differentiation

Categories: Subscriber special | Comments Off

What Factors Influence Your Tendency to Plagiarize in School?

Posted on June 6, 2019 by Jacqui

I am constantly amazed at how many students plagiarize schoolwork. They feel no guilt, don’t understand the legal risk they face, and think the argument that “everyone does it” makes it OK. If you want to stop it–and every teacher I know does–you have to get at the reasons why kids think they can steal another’s work and call it their own. I was excited when Ask a Tech Teacher contributor, Milyn Anne, offered this article explaining the why behind plagiarizing:

What Factors Influence Your Tendency to Plagiarize in School?

Plagiarism is everywhere, leading many teachers to believe that it has become a nationwide epidemic. While it’s not always easy to prevent plagiarism from occurring, knowing what factors influence a student’s tendency to plagiarize in school can help educators stay on top of this rising trend.

And if you’re a student, knowing the warning signs that may lead you astray is equally beneficial. Consider these top factors that cause students to plagiarize – and what you can do about it.

1. Psychological Factors

Many people believe that plagiarism is simply the direct cause of laziness, and while this may sometimes be true, there are underlying psychological factors that increase the likelihood of plagiarism -besides just a lack of motivation.

Here are just a few reasons why you might cheat:

You have a fear of failure. Students who cheat often have a profound fear of failing in the classroom. They are afraid of losing their status and they may compare themselves to other students. The British Journal of Educational Psychology has produced multiple studies indicating that fear of failure determines the methods that students use to reach their goals – and that those methods often involve plagiarism. Not only that, but the fear of failure can produce other damaging psychological effects, such as a sense of hopelessness, an addiction to success, feelings of depression, and more.
You are looking for a thrill. There is an underlying human urge to take from others what we covet for ourselves. We get a subconscious thrill when we copy others, and it releases chemicals in the brain that create feelings of happiness – chemicals like dopamine, oxytocin, serotonin, and endorphins, just to name a few.
You are overly confident. This may sound contradictory, but students with overly large egos may be tempted to cheat because they think that either nobody will catch them or, if they do, they will be above any potential consequences. You might think there is nothing wrong with plagiarism or possess a false sense of security.

Categories: Digital Citizenship | Tags: plagiarism | Leave a comment

5 Favorite Apps for Summer Learning

Posted on June 5, 2019 by Jacqui

Summer has a reputation for being nonstop relaxation, never-ending play, and a time when students stay as far from “learning” as they can get. For educators, those long empty weeks result in a phenomenon known as “Summer Slide” — where students start the next academic year behind where they ended the last.

“…on average, students’ achievement scores declined over summer vacation by one month’s worth of school-year learning…” (Brookings)

This doesn’t have to happen. Think about what students don’t like about school. Often, it revolves around repetitive schedules, assigned grades, and/or being forced to take subjects they don’t enjoy. In summer, we can meet students where they want to learn with topics they like by offering a menu of ungraded activities that are self-paced, exciting, energizing, and nothing like school learning. We talk about life-long learners (see my article on life-long learners). This summer, model it by offering educational activities students will choose over watching TV, playing video games, or whatever else they fall into when there’s nothing to do.

Here are favorites that my students love:

Categories: Reviews, Web Tools | Tags: lists, summer, website review | Leave a comment

Last Chance for this College-credit Class (Differentiation)

Posted on June 4, 2019 by Jacqui

MTI 563: The Differentiated Teacher

MTI 563 starts in one week–Monday, June 10, 2019! Click this link; scroll down to MTI 563 and click for more information and to sign up.

What is it

Differentiation in the classroom means meeting students where they are most capable of learning. It is not an extra layer of work, rather a habit of mind for both teacher and student. Learn granular approaches to infusing differentiation into all of your lesson plans, whether you’re a Common Core school or not, with this hands-on, interactive class. Ideas include visual, audio, video, mindmaps, infographics, graphic organizers, charts and tables, screenshots, screencasts, images, games and simulations, webtools, and hybrid assessments.

Assessment is based on involvement, interaction with classmates, and completion of projects so be prepared to be fully-involved and an eager risk-taker. Price includes course registration, college credit, and all necessary materials. To enroll, click the link above, search for MTI 563 and sign up. Email askatechteacher at gmail dot com for questions.

Categories: Online education, Teacher resources | Tags: mti, pd, summer pd | Leave a comment

Wonderful Southeast Asia Trip!

Posted on June 3, 2019 by Jacqui

I am finally back from my international trip where I visited three areas, four hotels, and took a gazillion trains. The background: My daughter and I went to Okinawa Japan where my son is stationed with the Army to celebrate his birthday and decided to also visit the main island of Japan and South Korea. This post won’t be a travelogue but I am happy to say we had tremendous fun. I rarely travel internationally–the last time was when I toured the Soviet Union (now Russia et al)–so didn’t know what to expect as far as languages, customs, foreign money, and everything in between. Words can’t express how nervous the whole thing made me (I’m not a brave person) but with my kids’ support, I did it and am happy I did.

A few highlights:

We planned to carry on our luggage and do laundry in the hotels. That often didn’t work as there were strictly-enforced weight limits on flights.
We traveled Delta’s Comfort Plus to and from Japan. This cost more money than Main Cabin but much less than Business Class and turned out to be a wonderful balance of cost and comfort. Check it out next time you take a nine-hour flight.
I worried about phone charges but that was solved by leaving my phone in Airplane Mode the entire time. Luckily, my son had local phone service so we used his.
We stayed in US Military vacation housing. This is discounted luxury hotels they make available to Active and Retired military. It had everything I needed at a fourth of the price.
I bought a Scottevest for the trip with its dozen pockets and RFID protection for carrying my passport, military base passes, wallet, receipts, room keys, phone, headphones, rechargers, medication info, and incidentals. It was a life saver.
The first thing I noticed as I arrived in Narita (the Japanese airport that was our port of entry) was how quiet the terminal was. The people didn’t chatter endlessly as Americans do. That changed when we arrived at Customs and Immigration, thanks to all the foreigners.
Japan and South Korea have few trash cans and still no trash lying around on streets, on trains, on sidewalks. It seems that no one tosses their refuse on the ground. I ended carrying mine around until I came across the rare trash can or a restroom.
Japanese trains are clean, well-maintained, safe, dependable, affordable, and packed with riders.
As one who speaks neither Japanese or Korean, I gained an appreciation for symbols and hand motions. Most signs included a visual of what they meant which was all that save me from complete confusion many times.
The Japanese walk everywhere and do it quickly. Many people older than me passed me up and climbed multiple levels of stairs without slowing down (by the thrid flight, I was stopping to rest). I tracked my steps and floors on a health app and I often exceeded 17,000 steps and over 40 floors. Yikes!
There are trains to take you anywhere you need. Most people don’t commute to work in cars and taxis are horrendously expensive. But, once again–these folks don’t mind walking. The train we’d take to our tours were always at least a half mile from our hotel. Lots and lots and lots of walking.
Many restaurants didn’t offer napkins with the meal. When we asked at one of the eateries, they gave us a box of Kleenex because that was all she had.
I ate 50% more food than normal and lost one pound. Woot!

A few problems–not unexpected on a long international trip:

Categories: personal | Leave a comment

Here’s a Preview of June

Posted on June 1, 2019 by Jacqui

Here’s a preview of what’s coming up on Ask a Tech Teacher in July:

the June Subscriber Special
World Environment Day
Online College Class Starting
10 Books You’ll Want to Read This Summer
5 Favorite Apps for Summer Learning
8 Practical Ways to Use AI in Learning
Looking for Trusted ADvisers? Look No Further
11 Bits of Wisdom I Learning From a Computer (humor)
8 Tech Tools for PE Teachers
What is Constructivism?
12 Great Virtual REality Apps
Videos for Education
What’s Changed in Lesson Planning
Curriculum-based Assessments
4 Innovative Ways to Co-author a Book

Categories: Teacher resources | Leave a comment

Last Chance for this College-credit Class (557)

Posted on May 31, 2019 by Jacqui

MTI 557: Building Digital Citizens

Starts Monday, June 3, 2019! Last chance to sign up. Click this link; scroll down to MTI 557 and click for more information and to sign up.

If students use the internet, they must be familiar with the rights and responsibilities required to be good digital citizens. In this class, you’ll learn what topics to introduce, how to unpack them, and how to make them authentic to student lives.

Topics include:

copyrights, fair use, public domain
cyberbullying
digital commerce
digital communications
digital footprint, digital privacy
digital rights and responsibilities
digital search/research
image—how to use them legally
internet safety
netiquette
passwords
plagiarism
social media

At the completion of this course, you will be able to:

Know how to blend digital citizenship into lesson plans that require the Internet
Be comfortable in your knowledge of all facets of digital citizenship
Become an advocate of safe, legal, and responsible use of online resources
Exhibit a positive attitude toward technology that supports learning
Exhibit leadership in teaching and living as a digital citizen

To enroll, click the link above, search for MTI 557 and sign up. Need help? Email askatechteacher@gmail.com for upcoming dates.

Categories: Online education, Teacher resources | Tags: mti, pd, summer pd | Leave a comment

I’m Traveling!

Posted on May 6, 2019 by Jacqui

May 11th-24th

I’m taking a trip with my daughter to visit my son who is stationed in Okinawa with the Army. We’ll spend two weeks traveling the area. I haven’t done this in fifty years (when I traveled through the old Soviet Union and Europe) and am beyond excited!