Moving Beyond the Whiteboard
Imagine a world where learning is as exciting as playing a video game, where classrooms can be anywhere, and where everyone has a personal tutor. Sal Khan presented this vision in a recent TED Talk and previewed Khanmigo, Sal’s Khan Academy entry into using artificial intelligence to assist students. Are other education technology companies using AI in their products? I assumed so but wanted to find out more.
The following are some brief summaries of fifteen other applications of AI to learning drawn from their websites. Most seem to require a license or subscription, so I have not tested them myself. Therefore, I cannot verify the accuracy of the descriptions. The main point of this list is not to endorse or advocate for any of them. When a quick, but by no means exhaustive, web search turns up all these entries into AI EdTech, we can see the promise of the future.
Welcome to the world of AI in education!
1. “Age of Learning” is like a virtual teacher, making math and reading fun for little learners from pre-K to 2nd grade. They use AI to create a unique learning path for each student, like a video game that adjusts to your level.
2. Ever wished for a personal language tutor? “Duolingo” is your answer. Their app uses AI to provide just-right challenges in over 40 languages. And guess what? They have an app for math, too!
3. “Nuance” is like a secretary you can talk to, which is great for students who find writing hard or have mobility issues. It can transcribe a lightning-fast 160 words per minute and even helps improve spelling and word recognition.
4. “Amira Learning” is a virtual reading buddy that uses AI to help young readers improve. It listens to students read, provides feedback, and even screens for dyslexia.
5. “Blippar” takes learning to a whole extra dimension, literally! By merging AI with augmented reality, it turns topics like geography, biology, and physics into interactive 3D experiences.
6. “Blue Canoe” is like an English teacher in your pocket. It uses AI to help users practice speaking English and provides instant feedback on pronunciation.
7. “Carnegie Learning” uses AI to create personalized learning experiences in math, English, and world languages. It’s like having a personal trainer for your brain!
8. “Century Tech” is a super-smart AI platform that creates personalized study plans, tracks progress, and even lightens the load for teachers. It’s like having a study buddy that knows exactly what you need to learn next.
9. “Cognii” is an AI assistant that can help students from elementary school to college. It uses conversation to improve critical thinking skills, like a tutor that’s always ready to chat.
10. “Kidaptive” uses AI to make learning exciting and engaging. It’s like a video game that adapts to your skill level and even predicts how you’ll do in the future.
11. “Knewton” uses AI to help college students stay on track. It identifies gaps in knowledge, provides the right coursework, and ensures students are ready for college-level classes.
12. “Querium Corporation” is like a personal STEM tutor that provides customized lessons. It also gives teachers insights into how students learn best.
13. “Quizlet” is an online study hub that uses AI to create personalized study plans based on digital flash cards. Quiz yourself and track your progress.
14. “Riiid Labs” creates AI tools teachers can use to track student performance and engagement. The dashboard shows the details of each student’s progress.
15. “Thinkster” is a math tutor that combines the best of humans and AI. The technology tracks every step of a student’s work, helping them understand their mistakes and successes.
So, there you have it – a glimpse into the future of education. These AI tools and others like them will not just make learning more personalized, exciting, and accessible, but they will also transform the way teachers teach. By taking over some of the repetitive tasks and providing insights into student performance, AI can help teachers do what they do best – inspire students. I plan to try out as many of these applications as I can without a huge subscription fee, as well as others I discover along the way. We all need to get ready, because the future of learning is coming fast, and the possibilities are more exciting than ever!
Sal Khan’s TED Talk on the Future of AI in Education
Interested in what students can accomplish? Check out my new book: Teen Innovators: Nine Young People Engineering a Better World with Creative Inventions