Looking Forward to AI in Higher Education

Technological advances have opened a world of opportunities for students and teachers lately. With new access to online and traditional learning platforms, the possibilities for furthering educational goals seem limitless.

The trend in higher education seems to be toward making education more accessible and on-demand. Technology allows the online delivery of educational materials and rapid information sharing, allowing for quick and secure connections among learners. Students and faculty are no longer limited by physical distances and language barriers, allowing them to teach and learn virtually anywhere.

The rise of distance or online learning technologies has allowed for more customized coursework and blended learning models. This trend has enabled students to learn, work at their own pace, and customize their learning experiences to fit their goals. It opens up many options for the learning community, allowing for more flexible scheduling and access to courses of study and qualifications. But this change in scope and depth will require a significant difference in the teaching-learning process, faculty recycling, and students' attitudes.

It is unavoidable that universities are changing rapidly, and the traditional model of higher education is under significant pressure due to an ever-evolving society, culture, and technology. Consequently, universities must become more digital and provide accessible remote learning platforms to remain competitive, up-to-date in each academic discipline, and attractive to students.

Moreover, universities are beginning to shift away from the traditional model of a classroom to emphasize project-based learning. This groundwork provides a much more enriching experience that encourages students to form their thoughts and create a valuable network of peers. Additionally, universities will increasingly use digital methods to support their teaching, both in the classroom and online, as technology plays an essential role in modern education. It is now possible to provide interactive experiences to students through digital lectures, virtual classrooms, team-teaching projects, virtual practices and applications, and online resources of different types. Other examples include the utilization of e-books, audiovisual material, virtual experiments, laboratories, simulation projects of sciences and humanities, and online tutorials.

Technology is revolutionizing how students learn and have access to information, allowing for increased access to learning opportunities, tremendous advancements in personalized education, and a platform for teachers to better reach the minds and hearts of their students. Introducing new and innovative technology, such as machine learning, into the educational sector can be helpful in many ways, from improving the quality of teaching and learning to provide students with greater flexibility and access to resources outside the classroom. A significant change is developing an open education for all, according to their differences.

The introduction of augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) technology will revolutionize learning in higher education. For instance, devices such as virtual whiteboards and 3D simulations will enable teachers to bring lessons to life truly. Virtual field trips could also be possible shortly, allowing students to explore virtual environments and gain a more in-depth understanding of their subject. In addition, personalized learning education becomes more accessible with artificial intelligence systems that track individual learning development to help them achieve life goals.

Artificial intelligence (AI) has seen significant advances in various fields, from medical diagnostics to navigation systems for autonomous vehicles. However, its capabilities are also most promising in "AI-driven learning." Artificial intelligence can revolutionize how education is delivered and received by allowing for personalized instruction and interactive learning experiences. By providing real-time feedback, AI can make human-computer interaction more personalized and conducive to learning. AI technologies, such as Natural Language Processing, can provide lessons and create interactions with the students. AI can be used as an educational tool to personalize instruction for different students based on their needs. Artificial intelligence systems can provide tailored curricula and assessments to students according to their strengths and weaknesses. In other words, this innovative technology can give each student the support they need to succeed and excel rather than forcing them all into an identical mold. It can also assist in identifying educational gaps and providing the appropriate learning solution.

But generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) that can create a wide variety of data, such as?images, videos, audio, text, and 3D models,?can also make a deep change in how we teach, assist in scientific research, and organize and manage institutions of Higher Education.

AI technology has changed the face of many industries and enterprises, and the education sector has been no exception. It can potentially revolutionize how schools, colleges, and universities operate with specific applications that dramatically improve the student experience and boost educational outcomes. AI-powered software, such as APE (Automated Performance Enhancement), can grade an essay in a fraction of the time it would take a regular teacher, freeing up more time for them to provide personalized feedback. AI can also review multiple-choice and short-answer tests much faster and more accurately than traditional methods and provide detailed analysis of test performance to the student and the teacher. Using AI-powered software, teachers can monitor each student's academic progress and tailor the teaching to their individual learning needs, allowing them to focus on topics and other crucial educational teaching processes.

One example of this AI application is the use of intelligent tutoring systems (ITSs). They provide personalized, adaptive instruction and student feedback based on their assessments and progress. For instance, AI can provide students with exercises and activities tailored to their individual learning types and needs. This approach can improve student engagement and academic performance. In addition, ITSs can give students meaningful feedback on their progress and help them develop problem-solving skills. In other words, AI can not only work in data-driven decisions or quantitative data, but artificial intelligence could also provide paths for learning. An intelligent guidance system could map students' routes to their desired learning outcomes based on their current knowledge and understanding. This personalized guidance, involving psychological and social components, could be used to help students develop based on their existing strengths and weaknesses. The evolution of these tools will significantly change education at all levels and for lifelong learning in the years to come. One significant change is going to affect the need for new jobs related to AI Technology and to the labor and professional markets worldwide. As a matter of fact, by asking ChatGPT what the new jobs related to artificial intelligence will be, this answer is shown below in a conventional chart generated by it. And this is a hypothetical answer in the middle of 2023. Considerable changes in the professional market will be produced month by month in the coming years.

In synthesis, the future of artificial intelligence technology in education looks promising, potentially improving the efficiency and effectiveness of teaching and learning processes.?Some?of the possible developments in this field include:

• The transformation in the development of study programs based on AI. Professors can no longer be the prescribers of student learning competencies. The new programs with knowledge, applications, and dispositions will be covered in breadth and depth what the?learning person??should know? and not based on what the?teaching person??knows.? New artificial intelligence techniques, data science, and predictive models will become necessary.
• AI will be a powerful tool for curriculum planning, design, and program implementation, matching society, students, and local and world needs.
• Greater Integration with Learning Management Systems: AI is expected to become more integrated into LMS platforms, providing teachers and students with a unified and more efficient educational experience.
• Improved Personalized Learning: AI algorithms will become more advanced, allowing for an even more customized and individualized learning experience.
• Improved Collaborative Learning: AI will facilitate better collaboration between students, teachers, and institutions, improving educational and psychological outcomes.
• Virtual and Augmented Reality Applications: AI could significantly develop VR and AR educational experiences, providing immersive and interactive learning opportunities.
• Natural Language Processing, or NLP. This technology converts text into data that can then be used to analyze, interpret, and generate insights. NLP is used to help identify patterns and trends in large sets of textual data and to find correlations between different elements in data sets.
• Increased Automation: AI is likely to automate more and more administrative tasks, freeing up teachers' time to focus on student learning and development.

• Predictive Learning Analytics: AI algorithms can analyze student performance data and predict future learning outcomes, providing insights into student needs and helping professors or teachers target their teaching efforts better.
• Adaptive Learning: AI can adjust learning content and assessments to the needs and abilities of each student, providing a more personalized learning experience.
• Improved Assessment and Diagnostics: AI could play a significant role in developing more accurate and efficient assessment and diagnostic tools in psychology, helping to identify and treat student behavioral and mental health conditions.
• Human-Computer Interaction Research: AI will significantly advance our understanding of human-computer interaction and how technology can support and enhance learning and psychological processes.
• Advanced Personalized Learning: AI algorithms will become even more sophisticated, allowing personalized learning experiences based on student data and performance.
• Mental Health and Wellness Support: AI-powered chatbots and virtual assistants could provide mental health and wellness support, particularly for students in remote or isolated environments.
• Virtual Psychologists and Educational Counseling: AI-powered virtual psychologists and counselors may become more prevalent, offering learning techniques support, learning to learn, and assistance for behavioral or mental health issues in the school or university community.
• The intangible learning, as complementary to "real" learning methods, will be able to develop virtual scenarios, gaming, and simulation models for exponential learning innovation, artificial intelligence (AI), and knowledge acquisition and transformation. It will change face-to-face and online education for anticipatory and predictive learning. The new methodological approach and standard will be intangible learning to reinforce research-based learning.

In conclusion, the future of AI in education, at all formal and non-formal levels, holds immense potential to improve how we learn, teach, and assess. AI technology has the potential to greatly enhance our understanding of learning and teaching, leading to improved educational outcomes and enhanced learning, life achievements, and mental and physical health support for individuals and society at large. Generative AI will be one of the most significant technological developments for bringing education to a lifelong learning process. But humans with the hands and minds in artificial intelligence will have a major and transcendent task to accomplish, which is first to put the ethical and aesthetical obligations with humankind. A revolution of knowledge that is still missing.

What will be next? We need to start thinking that the best certainty is uncertainty. We need to be educated to solve unknown problems. But our educational system emphasizes the understanding of problems already solved. AI technology works to move ahead of what we know. It is part of their thinking. It is part of the machine learning DNA. "For the first time, we've invented something that takes power away from us...and I do not know if humans can survive," says Yuval Noah Harari (2023), author of Sapiens. I want to think from my optimistic side that we will survive, and a new advanced lifelong education for uncertainty will be the answer.

References

Escotet, Miguel A. (2023). La universidad del futuro para una educación en red y a lo largo de la vida. En Santos Rego, M.A., Lorenzo Moledo, Mar y García álvarez, Jesús (Eds.).?La educación en red. Una?perspectiva?multidimensional. Barcelona: Editorial Octaedro, 161-192.

Escotet, Miguel A. (2020). Pandemics, leadership, and social ethics.?Prospects?(UNESCO), https://doi.org/10.1007/s11125-020-09472-3. Springer (Switzerland), June.

Escotet, Miguel A. (1991).?The Transfer of Technology in Education. Budapest: Batthhyáni Association.

Harari, Yuval Noah.(2023). I don’t know if humans can survive AI. The Telegraph, April 23.

Holmes, W. and Porayska, K. (2023).?The Ethics of Artificial Intelligence in Education. London: Routledge.?

Langlois, Patrick (2023).?Artificial Intelligence. How to Manage It: Directly By ChatGTP. Kindle Edition.

Norvig, P. and Russell, S. (2021).?Artificial Intelligence: A Modern Approach, 4Ed. London: Pearson Education.

Petzold, Charles. (2008).?The Annotated Turing. New York: Wiley.

Roumate, Fatima. (2023).?Artificial Intelligence In Education: Promises and Implications for Teaching and Learning.?London: Springer.

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? 2023?Miguel Angel Escotet. All rights reserved. Permission to reprint with appropriate citing. An expanded in-depth article on the same subject is being published in the Prospects journal by UNESCO, expected to be in-print by June 2023.