AI for Lifelong Learning: Lessons learned from my experience at Otermans Institute

by Supriya Sunder V K

Learning is a never-ending process. Every day presents us with new opportunities to learn new things in this vast world. In this era, where Artificial Intelligence has permeated into almost all sectors, creating a revolution as never witnessed before, marks the urgency for utilising the same. In that aspect, AI can be made use of even after and beyond the formal education to support our endless learning.?

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Traditional Learning Methods VS AI Learning Methods?

As a student, I always believe that it is important to stay updated with the latest trends and technologies to gain a competitive edge in the competitive work environment, as well as for personal development. While traditional way of learning is quite effective, the constrains of time and resources would not allow to cater to the needs of every student, and the “one-size-fits-all” approach has its downside. On the contrary, AI could continuously adjust to the learner’s development, offering courses and feedback tailored specifically to their needs.?

A significant distinction also exists in the methods of assessment. A major component of traditional education is the periodic tests, which can be stressful and may not be an accurate indicator of a student's ability. With the use of interactive projects, assignments, and quizzes, AI can conduct ongoing evaluation while giving prompt feedback, pinpointing problem areas, leading to a deeper comprehension of the subject.?

This degree of personalisation guarantees effective and efficient learning by emphasising areas that require development and highlighting strengths. Such guided, interactive, and personalised features are often challenging to implement successfully in general online courses or traditional settings.?

"AI also helped me with job matching, interview preparation, and CV building, which will facilitate the transition from academics to the working world smoother.?"

The incorporation of AI into academics to make learning more engaging and interesting can be effectively accomplished. In addition, AI can help us in gaining personal as well as professional development. Considering time as a precious resource and learners dealing with a rigid schedule, often finds it difficult to move along in their journey.?

Furthermore, AI has the ability to eliminate geographic barriers, opening up quality education to a wider audience. Physical presence is frequently required for traditional schooling, which can be a barrier for many. On the other hand, globally dispersed learners can now get top-notch instruction through online AI-driven platforms. The flexibility AI offers, along with its numerous other features, is truly noteworthy.?

How Can AI Support Continuous Learning Beyond Formal Education

1. Learning Pathways: AI can assist in creating personalised learning paths that fit the objectives, passions, and past knowledge of a student.?

1. Real-Time Feedback: AI systems are able to provide learners with instant feedback on their performance, enabling them to recognise their areas of strength and growth. Resources: Considering a learner’s interests, prior knowledge, and professional objectives, artificial intelligence (AI) can suggest articles, videos, courses, and other educational resources.?

1. Gamification: AI can add features of games, including leaderboards, badges, and incentives, to learning platforms to boost motivation and engagement.?

1. Language Translation: Non-native speakers and people in diverse locations can access educational resources with the help of AI-powered translation technologies.?

1. Assistive Technologies: Text-to-speech, speech-to-text, and other adaptive technologies are some interesting resources that artificial intelligence could offer learners with disabilities.?

1. Interest-Based Learning for Personal Development and Hobbies: AI can make recommendations for courses and resources based on a person’s hobbies and personal interests, promoting lifelong learning outside of the context of formal education.?

1. Supportive Learning Community: AI can also bring people together who have aims and interests in learning to promote peer-to-peer support and learning.?

1. Intelligent Knowledge Repositories: AI has the capacity to organise and curate enormous volumes of organisational knowledge, making it searchable and readily available for staff members looking for specialised subject matter expertise or information.?

1. Career Planning: It can provide resources and tools for career planning and growth, such as help with interview preparation, CV construction, and skill- and experience-based job matching. In addition, AI could facilitate with mentorship by connecting students with mentors who possess the knowledge and experience necessary to direct their career development.?

1. Simulations and VR: With AI-powered simulations and virtual worlds, educators may create immersive learning environments that facilitate deeper understanding.?

"Using AI gives me the insights on possible career routes, related employment opportunities, and the abilities needed for such positions by evaluating my talents, hobbies, and the most recent market trends."

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AI & Me

As a marketing student, Artificial Intelligence (AI) has significantly transformed my approach to learning and productivity. Unlike traditional web searches that yield an overwhelming array of results, AI is offering me precise, context-specific answers, that can I further elaborate based on follow-up queries, ensuring I'll get a deep understanding of complex topics.

AI tools have also streamlined my website development and content creation processes, providing creative suggestions, design recommendations, and detailed feedback akin to a personal tutor. Additionally, AI-powered editing tools enhance the quality of my work by identifying grammatical errors, maintaining stylistic consistency, and optimizing content. Beyond these applications, I also use AI with project management by tracking my timelines and my tasks. And, I am happy to say that This integration of AI into my academic and personal development endeavours has greatly improved efficiency and effectiveness, demonstrating its transformative potential in both educational and professional contexts.?

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Applications of AI in Upskilling, Reskilling, and Professional Development?

These days, a lot of companies are integrating AI in their staff development courses.

These AI- powered programs are capable of analysing performance data to pinpoint skill gaps and suggest specific training courses. This guarantees that employees are always evolving in ways that directly aligns with both their professional growth and the goals of the organisation. According to the Udemy for Business survey, 80% of workers believe that having AI skills will be crucial for their future careers, yet only 36% reported having received such training from their companies. This discrepancy is expected to decrease in the future. Furthermore, as per the Statista report, the potential impact of generative artificial intelligence (AI) on productivity worldwide in 2023, by business functions, shows significant added value. For marketing and sales, as well as software engineering, the added value is found to be high, amounting to 1200 billion U.S. dollars.??

AI is transforming not only how individuals learn, but also how professional development is structured on a broader level.? The Future of Jobs Report 2023 indicates that 43% of labour duties will be automated by 2027. This paves the way for focusing more on upskilling and reskilling.?

?“Upskilling” is the term for learning something new to supplement an employee’s current skill set. The employee performs better in their existing position with these new abilities, which could then help them advance in their career.?

Learning new skills outside of one’s current skill set is known as “reskilling.” These abilities are frequently directly related to their current role, but occasionally they may be focused on an altogether unrelated one.??

The need for skills is evolving at a faster rate than ever before due to technological advancements. Not only can new technologies manage an increasing amount of manual and repetitive tasks, but they can also carry out increasingly complex knowledge-based tasks, including writing, coding, and research, which have long been thought to be resistant to disruption. According to a survey, 94% of workers said they would stay with the company longer if they were given opportunities for learning and growth.?

Apart from organisations, young graduates can harness AI to get prepared for the job role that they are interested in or a current employee who wants to shift his career can easily make it happen with the help of AI recommended courses.?

Furthermore, AI can facilitate mentorship and networking opportunities, crucial aspects of professional development. Platforms like LinkedIn Learning not only provide personalised course recommendations but also suggest potential mentors based on shared career interests and goals. This creates a supportive learning environment where individuals can seek advice, share experiences, and collaborate on projects, fostering a community of continuous learners.

My final thoughts

Working with Otermans Institute has given me a unique perspective on how integrating AI into education and professional development can be truly transformative. We are living in a tech-driven world, where AI can offer personalised learning experiences, continuous feedback, and access to a vast array of resources, making lifelong learning more achievable. I hope more people will have the opportunity to leverage AI through their companies or institutions.

It is now clear that, unlike traditional methods, AI can provide the flexibility and adaptability we need to keep pace with the rapidly changing skills required in today’s job market.

Industries prepare for a future dominated by automation: AI’s role in reskilling and upskilling becomes even more crucial. And it's just amazing to see how AI has broken down physical and geographical barriers, making high-quality education more accessible than ever.