Nanyang Polytechnic (NYP)

You might be familiar with the two trending buzzwords in technology today – 5G and Artificial Intelligence (AI). One promises fast and seamless connectivity to keep you connected to the world, anywhere, anytime. The other works on machine intelligence to perform tasks usually done by humans. The former empowers you to do more, while the latter helps automate part of your work.

In the context of our education industry, these two forces are moving so fast, they’re on the verge of colliding. The congruence of these two mega technologies have forced educators to rethink their curriculum and pedagogy, and how they can leverage both technologies for the learners’ benefit.

In today’s 21^st century, we believe that education can take place anytime, anywhere. Coupled with the push towards Home-Based Learning accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic that swept the world in 2020, lessons are no longer confined in the classrooms.

Increasing accessibility to learning

And this is where 5G connectivity plays a crucial role. It enables learners to participate in lessons anytime, anywhere.

But beyond accessibility, the advancements in technology have also forced educators worldwide to relook at curriculum content delivery. Gone were the days of classroom teaching, where knowledge is passed through the whiteboard. Today, content must not only be educational, but it must also be interactive and engaging. And at NYP, we place a strong emphasis on educational technology and lecturers are becoming well versed with technology. But this must be coupled with an emphasis on pedagogy -- delivering the lessons in a technologically advanced way is one thing, but making those lessons count is just as important.

Lecturers have had to adjust their content delivery to continually engage learners and retain attention. They’ve moved towards delivering bite-sized lectures, followed by short recaps of key learning points, to boost the learners’ ability to apply concepts learned. Such a learning model supports for asynchronous learning – allowing learners to learn at their own pace.

But how much of what’s being taught, is actually being absorbed by the learner? With the multiple distractions available, coupled with their preference to multitask, it begs the question of how much learning actually takes place during online lessons. This is where AI plays a huge role.

Leveraging AI to enhance learning experiences

Educators can now leverage AI to help track and monitor the progress of learners along the continuum. Checks can be put in place, to trigger the lecturer should the AI algorithm pick up various anomalies – a signal that the learner might be having some problems or is not actually following his lessons. That being said, there lies a fine line between tracking their academic progress and ensuring individual privacy.

At NYP, our lecturers infused short quizzes, taking the form of a game, for online lectures. This allows for direct participation from learners, and also acts as a quick gauge to note the learners’ progress.

“But beyond accessibility, the advancements in technology have also forced educators worldwide to relook at curriculum content delivery.”

Our lecturers use the Extensible Seamless Real-time Learning Analytics (EXSERLAN) platform, an interactive real-time teaching and learning model that collates data automatically at pre-determined checkpoints during lessons and analyses learners’ interaction. Through looking at the quiz responses – including the time taken to answer and the chosen answer – lecturers are able to have real-time updates to gauge the learners’ understanding of the concept. Too many wrong answers, or learners spending too much time to select an answer? The platform will send these data to lecturers, who can then reach out to the weaker learners to offer them further coaching, where appropriate.

Putting IT Together

We’ve put both of these together – leveraging 5G to allow students to own their learning experience and coupling it with AI to offer just-in-time assistance to help the student.

Take for example – our affective tutoring system – which uses AI to help a student during their asynchronous learning. The system uses real-time facial emotion recognition, powered by AI, to detect the different moods of a learner. A raised brow could mean that the learner is stuck and frustrated, while a smile could signify that the learner has no issues grasping the concept. Such facial expressions help detect learners’ learning challenges/frustrations. And with more data being pumped in, the AI algorithm becomes even more accurate in spotting learners who were having learning difficulties.

The system doesn’t just spot a learner in distress; it also offers timely nudges in the form of hints to struggling learners. And while all these is happening online, the system also sends a reminder to the lecturer. This enables the lecturer to follow up in smaller groups, with learners who faced difficulties in understanding specific concepts.

Another example is the Assessing Learning in Real Time (ALERT) system. This initiative, started by some NYP lecturers alongside their peers from other polytechnics and the Institute of Technical Education, encourages learners to self-reflect after each lesson/topic. The feedback is then combined and shared with the lecturer. Are learners coping? Were there specific concepts that they had issues with? With timely feedback, lecturers can ten make immediate adjustments during their next lesson.

Educating the Next Generation

At the heart of education is caring for the learner.

While AI-powered learning solutions and increased connectivity can help learners customize their desired learning path and progression, there remains the need for human touch.

Educators should leverage technology to enhance the learning experience for learners. Educators themselves, should also constantly seek to upskill themselves to remain relevant and in touch with the latest edutech trends, to deliver an exceptional learning experience.

And while we have an eye on technology, we need to always remember to go back to basics. Key to what we do is really educating our learners and making sure that they are equipped with the necessary knowledge and skills to succeed in tomorrow’s world.

Make each learning experience meaningful. Keep inspiring, keep leading. Technology truly becomes powerful, only when it helps the learner achieve a better tomorrow.