How AI-ML & Data Science create a platform for adaptive learning online

Online learning has taken a lot of tedious procedures such off the back of the teachers. A significant portion of work is automized, creating more space for a teacher to focus on designing learning modules. AI-ML can easily identify correct answers and catch plagiarism, if any. Randhir Kumar, Founder and Chief Mentor, BasicFirst Learning OPC Pvt. Ltd, explains.

The ongoing global pandemic, followed by the worldwide lockdown situation, has opened up unexpected avenues for pioneering educational reforms in the shape of Edtech startups. In these unprecedented times, when all educational ventures are in a limbo, online learning has come to conciliate dulled hopes of students. Online learning is the kind of learning that incorporates top-end tools such as Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, and data science to buttress textbook learning.

In today’s time, the saying “one size fits all” has become archaic. Because of diversified needs, attention spans, and behavior, every student requires a unique educational model to grasp the concepts of a particular subject. The potpourri of the technological tools that are used on an e-learning platform establish such an environment for learning, where the caliber of each student is analyzed to concoct personalized modules that ensure and enable them to engage with the subject in the most efficient and effective fashion. Let’s take a closer look at how the new technology is transforming the educational game altogether.

AI is already revolutionizing major industry verticals, the education industry is no stranger to its advantages. In the e-Learning space, AI is harnessed to systemize all student-related data such as current grade, subjects, previous scores, competence, interests, and academic goals, and creates a database for each student. By sifting the learning dynamics of each student, AI enables an e-learning platform to provide a student with a holistic and adaptive learning module where s/he can make progress according to their own pace.

All this congregated information is too enormous for a single teacher to handle, this is where data science is channeled to arouse meaning from big data. The recurring patterns are deciphered by measuring the pace of a student, their comprehension, and application of the knowledge are diagnosed through tests to understand the level of competency in different subjects. Subsequently, an individualistic learning module is formulated and recommended to the student.

Once the learning journey begins, a predictive feedback framework is established through Machine Learning. The more information the computer feeds, the smarter it becomes at analyzing the trends of a student. Such data is congregated in creating a report which sheds light on the strengths, weaknesses of the student, so that the teacher can align their approach to match the pace of the student for a personalized learning experience. It doesn’t stop there, additional supplementary lessons, courses are recommended to the student so that they can grasp the concept in its entirety.

Such technology also enables a more globalized learning experience. Students from different nations, irrespective of their native tongues, can come together on a single platform, and learn a subject of their choice. There are many extensions that can be used to provide live-captions for videos in different languages. Moreover, there’s potential to even hold online student exchange programs or collaborative projects between students from different countries.

But online learning is not just limited to learning. With the help of AR and VR (Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality), online learning platforms are creating simulation games that put a student in a life-like situation to test the application of knowledge. Gamification is a new trend that’s being witnessed in the online industry to further engage their students in their online community. Students are being encouraged to compete against fellow users on the platform on discussion forums, in quizzes and games to gain/earn points or collect badges and improve social standing on the platforms.

Similarly, the online learning method has also taken a lot of tedious procedures such as taking attendance, grading assignments and test papers, forming test papers, etc off the back of the teachers. With the help of AI and ML, a significant portion of work is automized, creating more space for a teacher to focus on designing learning modules for students. In the case of grading papers and submissions, AI and ML can easily identify correct answers from its repository of information and catch plagiarism, if any. In this manner, the chance of biased grading is also eliminated, as the papers are being scrutinized by machinery and not humans.

AI and ML are also used on e-Learning platforms as a virtual assistant to lend support to students, teachers, and parents alike. Be it queries related to academics, admissions, technical, or others, AI and ML, in the form of chatbots interact with people to offer answers to questions through a feed, or sort the queries by referring them to the person in charge. Similarly, through subscription-based feed framework, the online platforms offer daily updates to its online community. The content is specialized for students, parents, teachers, and alumni to keep them up-to-date with the latest developments on the platform, in the industry, and their preferred sector of the profession.

Needless to say that today, technology truly has transformed how we used to perceive learning. Going by the records, the world will surely see many more digital revolutions in the future to come that will create ripples in the industry.