Whispers of late 2022 began, reminiscent of the rustling of ancient parchments in some forgotten library. ChatGPT, a name that would soon echo in classrooms and boardrooms alike, promised to revolutionise education. The idea of AI tutors autonomously guiding learners captured imaginations, leading some to believe that AI could fulfil all educational needs.While this technology undoubtedly offers immense potential, it is essential to navigate through the hype to understand its true capabilities and limitations, especially in the context of learners’ journey through high-stakes exams like JEE and NEET. In this article, we will explore three areas where generative AI in edtech is most promising: hyper-personalised learning, interactive and engaging content, and learner assessment.
Lens 1: Hyper-personalized learning at scale
One of the most attractive promises of generative AI is its ability to deliver hyper-personalized learning experiences. In theory, AI could analyze vast amounts of data from each student, including their learning speed, strengths, weaknesses, and learning styles, to create customized learning paths. This level of personalization is often considered the holy grail of education, where no two students walk the same path. However, the reality is more nuanced.
First, creating high-quality, diverse content that meets individual needs at scale requires substantial human expertise and curation. While AI can assist in content creation, expecting it to produce content that excels in accuracy, relevance, and pedagogical soundness through mere “quick engineering” is unrealistic.
Second, personalization requires a deep understanding of the student’s cognitive and emotional state, which changes over time and with exposure to external events and interventions. For example, a student who had a bad day during a JEE weekend practice exam may need more practice problems, but may also benefit from a motivational boost. Understanding this nuance is complex; there is no “ready-to-use” AI bot or GPT that education companies can deploy.
To solve this problem meaningfully, serious education companies need to understand these limitations and work patiently to adapt the technology to their specific learner personalization needs. The personalization journey may follow a general framework, but the specifics will vary for each educational subdomain.
Lens 2: Interactive and engaging content
Generative AI has the potential to transform static textbooks and question banks into dynamic, interactive learning experiences. AI-powered tools can generate practice questions, create interactive simulations, and provide personalized explanations, making learning more engaging and effective.
However, there are two drawbacks that need to be addressed. Firstly, interactivity alone does not guarantee learning outcomes. Secondly, the quality of the content generated depends heavily on the quality of the data it is trained on.
In recent quarters, companies have made progress in addressing these challenges and are now able to leverage AI to create content for specific use cases, such as Doubts AI. Companies can also resolve students’ doubts for exams such as JEE and NEET through technological customization built on both private and public LLMs. We believe AI will provide many such point solutions like Doubts AI in the coming quarters, provided AI developers collaborate with teachers to ensure that the content created is not only engaging but also meaningful and aligned with learning objectives.
Lens 3: Learner Assessment
Assessment is another area where generative AI is expected to have a significant impact, with the promise of providing instant feedback, adaptive testing, and more accurate measurement of student performance. In high-stakes exams like the JEE or NEET, the quality of assessments prepared by domain experts remains far superior to those prepared by AI, especially in the area of “assessment for learning”. “Assessment for learning”, which should ideally be conducted at a learning node level but is usually used at the end of a chapter for logistical reasons, will be better served by AI. However, generative bots or GPTs cannot yet fully serve this purpose and will need to be trained specifically for the domain.
The future of EdTech: AI as the modern Brahmastra
While generative AI offers exciting possibilities, it is essential to look at this technology from a balanced perspective. Generative AI is a powerful tool that can enhance human capabilities, but it cannot replace the expertise of teachers, subject experts and educational psychologists.
To harness the full potential of generative AI, education companies must invest in developing robust AI models, ensure data quality, and work with subject matter experts to continuously improve outputs in line with intended outcomes.
In a diverse country like India, AI can play a vital role in providing access to quality education for all. However, this must be done with a focus on fairness, cultural sensitivity, and ethical considerations. The future of education lies in a harmonious blend of AI and human expertise, ensuring that every learner gets the guidance and advice they need to succeed.
With the guiding principle of ‘the child should learn, not the child’, let’s embrace generative AI as a powerful tool – an enabler, not a panacea. With the right approach, we can unlock the full potential of AI to create a more inclusive, engaging, and effective educational system for all.
Disclaimer: Content Produced by Infinity Learn
