The future of education is not just about reading, writing, and arithmetic - it's about algorithms, too. In a recent episode of the podcast For The Love of EdTech, Laurah Turner, PhD, associate dean for artificial intelligence and educational informatics at the University of Cincinnati's College of Medicine, shed some light on how AI can customize and improve learning experiences for students. According to a University of Cincinnati interview, Turner delved into the concept of applied AI, which involves using AI to create problem-solving tools such as simulated patient experiences for medical students.
Turner told the University of Cincinnati, "When we’re applying AI, it is, it has to be a specific use case, right?". She went on to discuss practical applications for AI in medical education, including the creation of AI tools simulating patient interactions, which are typically scarce and pricey for early-stage medical students, highlighting another potential use for curriculum mapping to alleviate the tedious and error-prone task of aligning assessments with learning objectives.
These AI agents, or 'bots' as Turner simplifies, are designed to perform the curriculum mapping, leaving human educators with the more manageable task of reviewing the results. Such applications of AI promise to reform the layers of educational methodology, making them a perfect fit for the often tedious aspects of pedagogy that humans find burdensome. Turner's insights offer a peek into the near future, where the weight of administration will be lessened by intelligent machines that understand not only content but also structure and process.
The allure of AI in education is powerful and clear: efficiency, precision, and a customized learning journey for every student. As Turner and her team at the University of Cincinnati carve paths through the digital thicket, one thing seems certain, the traditional educational landscape is ripe for transformation at the hands of artificial intelligence. The prospect of an educational experience enhanced and individualized by sophisticated technology is not just a speculative dream, but an imminent reality being built in institutions across the nation.
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