Imagine you are in a classroom reading about space, and in an instant, you are transported to the surface of the moon. Seems unreal? Well! Early Adopter is an EdTech company that's already creating these immersive learning experiences through virtual reality. But that’s just one of the 6 points that I’m going to discuss in this article on how EdTech startups can use AI to grow their businesses.
David Warlick, a classroom technology adopter and educator, has put it perfectly into words: “Technology is the pen and paper of modern times, and AI is the lens through which to experience this new world.”
Here are the Top 6 Ways EdTech Startups Can Use AI to Grow their Business:
1. Reducing Stress on Educators Using Automated Easy Scoring
Teachers spend over 265 hours per year assessing students and using standardized test-scoring systems. A study by British educators reveals that over 57% of tutors believe they are spending too much time assessing at the expense of further studies for their students. Furthermore, with the rising demand for teachers around the world, it's harder to focus on each and every student at a personal level.
Artificial Intelligence can assist teachers in speeding up their standard methods of test assessments through Automated Essay Scoring. AES system that uses NLP to grade students and analyze reports with human-like accuracy, integrity, and consistency. This technology can be used to evaluate data, written assignments, and other academic exams without directly involving human educators.
How does AES work?
You can simply input assessment data into AES systems, including coding solutions, MCQs, essays, and machine learning modules that automatically grade these assignments. AES systems can be trained to provide grades in vocabulary, improve sentence structure, and enhance grammar knowledge. Scoring rubrics are often used to help machine learning modules understand high-quality or low-quality responses throughout the entire process of assessment. '
Lastly, AES can generate algorithmic analysis for feedback on students, which includes assigned scores with explanations, areas for improvement, and suggestions for further learning.
What are the Benefits of using AES systems?
It is Efficient:
When you need to process a large number of assignments quickly, AES is the most efficient and reliable way to provide instant scores and feedback.
It maintains Consistency:
AI doesn’t suffer from human bias as it's trained to maintain consistency throughout its evaluation, which reduces human error or variability while grading.
It is Time-Saving:
AES can quickly process large sets of data, and the time saved can be used to focus on enhancing the teaching experience and student engagement.
It is Scalable:
In the digital age, grading systems can easily accommodate many students, making them most suitable for online courses.
IntelliMetric is an AES company that’s successfully graded over 100 billion essays. Another company, Gradescope, has generated a proven record of 700+ million graded answers to unique questions.
2. Using AI Chatbots To Solve Anything!
Many colleges and universities across the world spend a lot of man-hours collecting student information, enrolling, onboarding, and providing orientation programs. This requires administrators to be available 24/7 and solve all student queries. There’s one solution to all this tedious and manual processing: AI Chatbots. These conversational bots can facilitate faster and easier document submissions and query resolutions.
AI chatbots are like full-time educational assistants that are always available and take up less space than coffee mugs. Students can engage with these smart assistants and obtain any information regarding college programs, receive application updates, submit documents, and coordinate the admission process.
Valdosta State University tried this strategy of utilizing AI chatbots for the admission process in 2020 and saw a massive student retention of 9%. AI chatbots have the potential to rise through the ranks and work in different education processes.
With sentiment analysis capabilities, AI chatbots can assist teachers in comprehending students' thinking, which educators can use to enhance their current teaching process. These Artificial bots are trained with extensive student doubts, which can create a more conducive learning environment. With regular feedback on student progress, educators can regularly improve their teaching methods to ensure that each and every student grasps academic concepts.
Just like Chat GPT, these chatbots can reduce the repetitive or mundane tasks of teachers by assisting them with research and finding the correct statistics or calculations. This would allow teachers to devote more time to important tasks, like improving their teaching methods.
AI Chatbots can act as virtual assistants, even for students. They can ask for study materials, answer classroom questions, and help them understand a difficult topic.
As more institutes are forced to adopt “online classrooms”, the growth in chatbot adoption will be rapid. Not only “online classrooms” but also “online coaching classes” have gained significant traction. As students, teachers, and parents realize the benefits of AI in the education sector, there’s no turning back.
Popular brands like Duolingo and Mondly are already employing these conversational AI platforms that make learning more efficient and facilitate faster communication.
3. Learning a New Language through Natural Language Processing
Just like this French saying goes “améliorer l'apprentissage des langues grâce à la NLP”.That means “AI can improve language learning using NLP, or Natural Language Processing” Yes I just made that up. But it caught your attention, right? It must! because the language learning industry is a $52 billion industry and is estimated to grow over 20% by the year 2032.
After recent breakthroughs in AI’s deep learning, NLPs can be trained to identify human speech and its other nuances, such as proper pronunciation, speaking patterns, human sentiments, etc. These algorithms can listen to students, evaluate if they are learning the language correctly, and help them speak fluently.
How Does Natural Language Processing Work?
Analysis:
NLP analyzes spoken words into written texts to understand the language, syntax, and grammar of a sentence.
Going Beyond Syntax:
NLP can go beyond analyzing syntax by understanding metaphors, idioms, and expressions and helping the system identify contextual meaning.
Going Beyond Metaphors:
AI language systems can even go beyond reading metaphors by analyzing sentiments. Yes, it can determine whether the spoken words are positive, negative, or neutral. This, in turn, can help it understand the emotional impact of spoken language.
Doing Basic Checks:
Language learning modules can identify grammatical errors and pronunciation mistakes, offer detailed feedback on language, and improve their language mechanics.
Providing Feedback:
NLP can generate detailed feedback that is tailored to an individual’s speaking style. This feedback can include well-executed words, corrections, and positive reinforcements to enhance language understanding.
Loora, an EdTech startup that recently raised $9.25 million in funding, is already working to improve conversational English using voice-guided systems. Another company, Speak, is an English learning app that promises 95% accuracy. App users can interact live with an AI tutor and get instant feedback on grammar, vocabulary, and pronunciation. Language learning schools can expand their online classes or curriculum using Artificial intelligence in their human-led courses. These NLP systems are well-positioned to entice users towards new language learning opportunities.
4. Transporting to Virtual Reality
Ever dreamt that you were flying in space like Superman while attending lectures? Well, it's possible now using virtual reality. In a VR environment, students can experience a 360-degree immersive experience as if they were actually there. They can interact with the environment, touch and see how a historical monument was created, go on a virtual trip, simulate a science laboratory, and interact with their peers and tutors in a virtual setting. To be honest, with virtual reality, the possibilities are endless!
According to Statista, the VR industry is expected to grow from $12 billion to $22 billion by the year 2025.
How does it work?
VR in EdTech involves interacting using a VR headset along with hardware and controllers that can be used to navigate through simulated reality. VR headsets are fitted with screens and lenses that can act as sensors and wrap the user in 360-degree immersive virtual reality.
We always remember better when we experience things. In a study by Stanford, they took students on a VR field trip to learn about climate change. They discovered that the participating students had a deeper cognitive experience and learned and remembered more than the non-participants.
What are the Benefits of VR in EdTech?
Reducing the Feeling of Isolation:
The major reason this virtual adoption is gaining momentum is the feeling of isolation while pursuing an online course. Full Sail University deployed Rumii, a social VR application, into its online classroom to bring students and professors together in a virtual setting.
Virtual Field Trips:
Students can transport themselves to different locations and even go back in history using VR trips. Focusing on aerospace Discovery Education has gained a massive response from millions of students with its VR field trips.
Experience Virtual Art Visits:
To see "Blue Fall,” painted by abstract artist Helen Frankenthaler, you have to trek to Wisconsin to visit the Milwaukee Art Museum. But VR can virtually transport you to Frankenthaler’s masterpiece, allowing you to see, zoom in, and even listen to historical context in detail. Boulevard is a US-based VR company that brings art galleries to virtual reality.
Virtual Science Labs:
Labster is pioneering VR technology using virtual lab environments for physics, animal physiology, biochemistry, advanced biology, and engineering. Science students can study bacteria and cellular respiration and even conduct ultrasounds on expecting mothers (virtually, of course).
The co-founder of Glasco said, “No one builds memories of online classes; it’s just data being fed to your brain in the most boring way possible," but virtual reality can make it much more engaging and memorable.
5. Using AI’s Adaptive Classroom
Despite the controversy surrounding using ChatGPT in a job, we have all used it in some way or another, but the real question is: why? Because it’s making research, analysis, and writing easier, we cannot ignore its legitimate educational use.
AI can be used as a personalized tutor for analyzing data, suggesting new ideas, and exploring new ways to solve a problem. AI can effectively monitor students’ progress through an assignment and assess their real-time knowledge and time taken to solve the questions. This can go two ways: if the student is facing problems, the system can guide them with contextual information, or if they are successful, AI can generate more challenging tasks. In short, AI can act as a personalized tutor who can help them 24/7, which is literally impossible for a human educator.
At Stanford, students are using a mobile-based learning system named SMILE. It allows students to create their own homework and inquiries based on their learnings from the day. For example, students can take pictures of a diagram and create quizzes around it, and using the SMILE platform, they can share them with their classmates and check their understanding of the subject.
Gamification is also pioneering adaptive learning systems that can focus on efficient learning through gaming modules. Even math can be fun when it's designed into a game that students can play with their classmates. Mangahigh is one such company that’s changing mathematics around the world using AI. They are making serious subjects fun with their interactive games.
Intelligent books are making a big difference in AI EdTech that all startups can rely on. It can monitor student’s progress, analyze reports, create personalized quizzes, and even use voice-guiding systems.
Future of AI in EdTech Startups
There is a clear demand for automation in AES systems, personalized assistance using AI chatbots, and adaptive learning programs such as AR and VR technology. Many fields of AI, such as NLP, machine learning, speech recognition, adaptive learning, and 24/7 online support, are leading educational institutes towards the early adoption of artificial intelligence.
From creating personalized learning pathways to implementing intelligent analytics for deeper insights into student performance, SoluteLabs is at the forefront of this educational revolution.
In this journey, SoluteLabs is not just a service provider but a visionary ally, paving the way for a smarter, AI-driven educational ecosystem.
