Artificial Intelligence has a (digital) seat in every classroom and board room these days. The technology has been rapidly transforming education for a few years, but 2023 has seen particularly impressive developments. Not only has AI become more sophisticated, it has become more accessible and user-friendly for teachers, students, and staff. In fact, the majority of teachers have a positive sentiment toward AI, and the majority of students say that it has had a positive impact on their learning journeys.

With 2024 on the horizon, and plenty of pending new evolutions in AI, it’s time to reflect on this year and how AI for education has changed the educational landscape. These are some of the key events, as well as predictions for the future of AI for learning.

Personalized learning

Research shows a positive correlation between personalized AI learning and improved academic results, student engagement and satisfaction. It’s no surprise then, that in 2023, AI tools that facilitate personalized learning have been widely used by educators and organizations.

AI is so effective because it can use data from users’ behaviors and interactions with tools to tailor content accordingly. For example, if a user is struggling in a particular area of study, AI tools can prioritize that topic, and reframe instructions and tasks based on the user’s demonstrated capabilities. Such customization makes information more digestible, and gives the user a higher chance of understanding concepts and progressing in the subject.

Personalized learning from AI equally makes content more appealing to learners. For instance, if someone tends to spend more time on visual tasks, tools can adapt content throughout the curriculum to be shown in visual formats. That way, the learner stays motivated and is more likely to complete all assignments.

Mika is a great personalized learning AI tool for education. The coursework platform adapts to users and delivers content that supports students who are struggling, while challenging students who are excelling. The tool mirrors a human tutor, and applies machine learning to constantly orient toward learners’ preferences.

Immersive learning experiences

AI resources have been building dynamic and diverse learning experiences in 2023. Studies prove that these experiences are essential to help students process complex concepts, create their own simulations, and pick up skills in a controlled environment. Not to mention, many educators and learners enjoy more immersive pathways.

Some AI tools have integrated with virtual and augmented reality to enable learners to explore historical landmarks, conduct science experiments, and engage in realistic scenarios – all from their seat in the classroom or at work. Meanwhile, Natural Language Processing (NLP) has meant learners can have back-and-forth dialogues with AI technologies.

Elsewhere, gamification in AI has contributed to more immersive experiences. Adaptive difficulty levels and rewards promote healthy competition among learners, let them track their progress, and stay invested in their journey. Many AI tools have scoreboards, personalized awards, and animations that truly submerge learners in a game environment.

For example, Minecraft Education lets students build their own digital world, having to navigate infrastructural and environmental barriers along the way. Users can also learn how to create AI-powered inventions for future worlds, and how to ethically code AI.

Accessible education

Accessibility has been one of the biggest trends of 2023. Following the pandemic and the move to online learning, technology has had to ensure that learners with different abilities can use digital learning tools.

AI has played a big role in making technology more inclusive. NLP allows learners to interact with materials via speech and written text, supporting them with various language proficiencies or vocal challenges. Text-to-speech functionality also assists learners with visual or auditory impairments, and AI navigation features can help people with mobility restrictions.

AI democratizes education, providing online and on-demand access to high quality education, for everyone, from all backgrounds around the world.

For example, NaturalReader is text-to-speech software that converts text, PDF, and more than 20 other formats into audio. The AI-powered tool empowers learners in multiple contexts to access materials, instructions, and feedback in diverse ways.

Data-driven decisions

Data is the fuel for AI and the rise of AI in learning environments has given teachers and organization leaders data to better understand learners and their needs. AI tools can generate charts, graphs, and takeaways that show learners’ engagement, performance, and behavior with materials. These insights can help teachers and leaders develop education strategies, identify patterns, and prevent issues from escalating.

Data-driven decisions are more likely to support personalized learning too, as educators can give extra attention to learners that need it, and adjust content and priorities for learners according to their successes and challenges.

Classcraft’s AI software offers a dashboard for teachers to monitor student behavior and online activity trends. Likewise, they can see where students perform best, and what areas need improvement.

AI tutors in education

AI tutors are digital personas that guide learners through their field of study. They can bridge gaps in learners’ knowledge and gaps in institutions where resources may be lower. Much like personalized learning, AI tutors can provide targeted remediation to learners – for instance, if a student doesn’t comprehend a task, the tutor can share alternative explanations, exercises or examples. Moreover, this remediation is aligned to the learner’s preferences, so has a deeper impact.

Additionally, AI tutors provide real-time, detailed feedback, helping learners quickly correct errors and progress confidently. This instantaneity matters, considering that people feel they learn more effectively with on-the-spot feedback. 

ELSA Voice is an AI tutor designed to accelerate English proficiency among learners. Students speak into the app and can curate digital scenarios that resemble real-world opportunities to speak English. They then receive feedback around their pronunciation, fluency, sentence delivery, grammar, and more. The tutor also exposes app users to new sounds, stresses, rhythms, and intonation patterns to speak English fluently.

A look into the future

AI will be the foundation for educational pathways moving forward. The technology is already proving its value, and as it develops, will cover more themes and be more accessible. With this widespread application, however, there will be need to be clear guidelines and regulations to responsibly use AI. Data privacy, bias in algorithms, and the possibility to exacerbate educational inequalities will all need to be addressed. 

And, although AI will be more present in classrooms and work rooms, it won’t replace the human touch in education. Teachers, managers, and leaders will still need to take an active role in educational strategies and guidance. The idea is that AI compliments, not cancels the human touch.
Try out ELSA AI and see how generative AI is transforming (and will continue to transform) the learning experience.