Author: liviaalexander (Page 1 of 2)

AI – The New Technology of The World

Over the past several years, there has been a sharp increase in the usage of AI technology in education. Students may customize their educational experience and receive automatic help with administrative duties thanks to AI technology. AI adapts its input according to how well students perform, enabling learning and studying to be organized according to each student’s skills and development. 

One AI teaching platform that I and many other students frequently use is Quizlet. It generates assessments based on topics that students have not yet grasped and provides instant feedback based on what they have learnt. Grammarly is another AI program I frequently use. Grammarly checks for spelling, punctuation, and structure errors that I could have overlooked, which helps me improve my writing. 

Students can benefit from these technologies’ accessibility and efficiency. By doing everything for the learner, they do, however, diminish the value of interpersonal communication and education. 

AI Technology: Helpful or Harmful

AI is transforming education in our modern technology era, and offers several advantages for both learners and educators. Its incorporation into education does, however, come with certain difficulties that must be carefully considered in order to guarantee fair and efficient execution.

Ethical Considerations

Concerns about bias, transparency, and data privacy are the focal point of ethical considerations of AI in education. Privacy issues are usually raised, because AI may collect and analyze student data. This is especially a concern when private information is utilized without protection. Another crucial issue is transparency, as many AI systems function as “black boxes,” making it challenging for teachers and pupils to comprehend the decision-making process. Another issue is bias in AI algorithms, as data-driven technologies may reinforce prejudices or penalize some groups, escalating educational barriers.

In order to battle this and prioritize privacy, educators can adopt safe systems, get informed consent, and be open about how AI tools are used. Regular assessments of AI technologies’ inclusiveness and fairness are necessary, with an emphasis on reducing biases. When using AI , ethical use should always be encouraged in the classroom. 

Attached HERE is a TED Talk where professor Toby Walsh analyzes the ethical considerations of AI use.

The Future of AI

I think that within the next 5-10 years, AI and other technologies will become even more popular in the field of education. I believe that virtual reality and augmented reality will expand on artificial intelligence and positively influence education. They plan to develop engaging learning settings that enable students to investigate historical occurrences, intricate scientific ideas, or even carry out virtual lab trials no matter where they are. This has the potential to make hands-on learning opportunities more accessible, regardless of location or financial status.

https://www.computeam.co.uk/videos-and-blog/article/what-is-the-future-of-virtual-reality-in-education

Open Pedagogy – What Is It?

To some pedagogy may be an intimidating word. However, the concept of pedagogy, in particular, open pedagogy, has a key aspect that makes it easy to understand – collaboration. Unlike a traditional teacher to student method, open pedagogy incorporates open educational resources in order to educate. Students can use public knowledge to better their learning journey, which also allows for active participation. Both students and teachers can benefit from this because it creates an engaging environment where people can bounce off each other and gain insight from others’ knowledge.

Open educational Resources

Open educational resources are crucial to open pedagogy. They are free, openly licensed, accessible resources. They include textbooks, articles, notes, etc. that all students can use and modify. OER’s are a huge stepping stone in accessibility because there is no need for students to purchase resources for their course.

I recently had a class in which no purchase of a textbook or resources was required. Instead, my instructor used open resources and was able to provide the course information from many different sources each week. In my experience, this allowed for a wide variety of resources to be used and looked at, which made the course 10x more exciting. I find that textbooks can get repetitive, and when watching videos, listening to podcasts, or reading journal articles, I found that it was more engaging to me as a student.

In this TED Talk , Katie Gosa discusses open educational resources that students can use instead of having to buy an overpriced textbook. 

Global Trends of OER (Challenges and Opportunities)

Though open educational resources are designed to make learning more accessible, it has both positive and negative impacts. below is a comparison of both challenges and opportunities that arise from OER.

Understanding Creative Commons Licensing 

Creative commons licensing is a means for clear guidelines when using and sharing resources. CC licenses allow educators and students to confidently use resources that will not undermine the original creator. An example of a CC license is the CC BY license. This license allows for freely sharing altered materials as it permits usage and adaption with credit. Understanding this specific license would allow me to be certain that I will not be prosecuted for misusing resources I need.

This link provides a more in-depth explanation of the importance of creative commons licenses, so that you too can use resources in the right way.

Attributes of Open Pedagogy

Below are 3 core attributes that shape ope pedagogy.

Collaboration – Putting collaboration into practice of pedagogy entails promoting peer review and group projects as well as the development of common knowledge. 

Transparency – Involving students in the course design process, outlining learning objectives in detail, and candidly addressing assessment standards will all help to ensure that all students are aware of what is expected of them. 

Student centred learning – Giving students the freedom to co-create material, reflect on their education, and take charge of their educational path is a key component of implementing a student-centred strategy.

The image below illustrates all the concepts of open pedagogy and connect to the key concepts above.

https://muraludg.org/topics/open-pedagogy/

Thanks for reading!

What is the universal design for learning?

To understand this week’s topic it is pivotal to understand what the Universal Design for Learning is. The UDL is an educational development strategy that prioritizes diverse and inclusive teaching methods to accommodate all types of learners. 

It consists of 3 key elements: Providing multiple means of 

1. Engagement
2. Representation
3. Expression

The UDL ensures that all students are able to participate by having various modes of accessibility, while keeping content engaging to each individual. I think UDL can be beneficial in both a physical and a digital classroom. For example, in a physical classroom, it offers various types of assessment methods that support different needs. While in a digital setting, it makes use of different online learning platforms and programs, such as the one we use for this blog, to diversify the content.

Below is a visual to illustrate the concepts of UDL.

Overview of UDL Picture

How can we ensure accessibility in an online setting?

There are many different aspects that can contribute to a successful online learning environment. In order to accommodate all students, certain measures such as closed captions or speech tools have to be put in place for those with disabilities. On top of this, having the content in an array of formats (video, text, etc.) provides students with options in order to benefit them. Apart from disability measures, having an easy to navigate and clear online structure is another helpful aspect. In my own learning, the Uvic CAL program provided me with some extra time and quiet space I needed when I was in first year, and made my testing experience coincide with what I needed to do well.

I have provided a link to the Uvic CAL website, it might help you out too! 

EdTech and Student Security

The main ethical consideration of EdTech I want to touch on is the privacy of students. Students’ sensitive data can be collected, and in some cases can be used. It’s very important to protect students’ privacy. I think educators can still use EdTech to enhance learning, but should pay close attention to the privacy laws and regulations of the programs/websites they are using. A little research may go a long way.

A respectful online environment

Continuing with the topic of ethical learning and privacy, it is very important for students to understand and comply with online ethical guidelines. This means students need to be very aware of their peers’ privacy, and be mindful about sharing others’ information. Confidentiality is a huge ethical consideration. Along with this, contributing to an ethical and inclusive environment means upholding respect online. There is no room for bullying, negative comments, or harassment. I try my best to welcome all diverse views, and disengage from any harmful online behaviour.

Below is a TED Talk with some more information on online safety.

Connecting UDL to my own experiences

The first thing that comes to mind is my experience with an online learning environment during COVID. During this time, all students had to have access to the internet in order to participate. My school made sure to give out computers to those who did not have technology at home, which is part of the accessibility category of the UDL. However, they did not account for internet access, which could have greatly affected those who did not have access at home, and did not provide for an equal learning experience.

Thanks for Reading 🙂