In an exclusive interview with Abhinav Bhatnagar, Product Lead at iDream Education, explore the role of Artificial Intelligence in Education. In the education ecosystem, the evolution of AI-driven personalized learning stands as a guiding light of innovation and progress. It offers students a personalized pathway to address their individual learning needs, and learning gaps and get desired learning outcomes. What’s truly heartening for me is to see the growing awareness among teachers and students alike toward the importance of personalized learning platforms and how it can impact individual growth and academic success.
1. In your opinion, how relevant is artificial intelligence in the education sector?
To me, Artificial Intelligence (AI) is the New Electricity, because it is a general-purpose technology, versatile and applicable across numerous domains, much like electricity powers various devices. Think about it: what can’t electricity do? Similarly, AI isn’t limited to one specific use—it’s a diverse collection of tools, including supervised AIand generative AI. Supervised AI helps in tasks like personalized tutoring, and creating learning paths for personalized adaptive learning systems. While generative AI helps create interactive educational content such as simulations. So, I believe the versatility of Artificial Intelligence (AI) makes it incredibly relevant for the education sector.
2. How exactly can Artificial Intelligence (AI) help the last-mile learners?
Imagine a student struggling with fractions. They usually ask their teachers or try to learn on their own, maybe by watching videos online. But this process can take a long time, and they might still not understand where they’re struggling or what their gaps are. However, AI-enabled Personalized Adaptive Learning (PAL) tools can identify the gaps and create customized practice problems, and explain concepts in different ways based on the student’s learning style, and even offer encouraging messages. It’s like having a patient, 24/7 tutor in their pocket!
For instance, for students who struggle with reading comprehension or have a learning disability like dyslexia, AI-powered learning platforms can be a game-changer. Text-to-speech conversion allows students to listen to complex passages at their own pace. AI can even offer real-time translation for students learning a new language, helping them grasp concepts and actively participate in class discussions. With such capabilities, AI emerges as a promising ally in ensuring no learner gets left behind.
3. Don’t you think AI risks replacing teachers?
Teachers are the heart of education. AI is more like a superhero sidekick. It frees up teachers’ time for more one-on-one interaction, allowing them to focus on areas where AI can’t replicate human connection – like mentoring and fostering a love of learning.
4. Are there any challenges you face in using AI for this purpose?
Ensuring Artificial Intelligence is culturally relevant for diverse communities is crucial. We also have to be mindful of potential biases in the data used to train the AI. Therefore, at iDream Education, we work closely with teachers and leaders in the education ecosystem to address these challenges and make sure our learning solution becomes truly inclusive for all learners.
5. Where do you see AI in education, specifically for last-mile learners?
Imagine a kid in a bustling city learning coding alongside a student in a remote village, both tackling the same project but with personalized lessons that fit their learning styles. That’s the kind of future I’m excited about. No more feeling lost in a crowded classroom or struggling to keep up. Education should feel like a choose-your-own-adventure book, but with the ultimate prize being knowledge and the power to achieve anything!
“AI is becoming an even more powerful tool, not just for personalized learning, but also for bridging the digital divide. Personalized adaptive learning tools like iPrep PAL can function even with limited internet access or on low-cost devices. We can strive towards a future where universal access to learning ensures that every child, regardless of their background, has the opportunity for a world-class education. That’s the vision driving our efforts”.
Abhinav concluded, “Ultimately, the ongoing necessity for primary research in education remains apparent. AI, similar to its role in various domains, won’t be an immediate solution complex issues such as improving literacy rates overnight. Nonetheless, its potential to enhance understanding of underlying problems and contribute to the development of solutions should not be underestimated”.
