Dr Lovi Raj Gupta Pro Vice-Chancellor and Head, Lovely Faculty of Technology and Sciences, Lovely Professional University
The education sector is undergoing a paradigm shift with the adoption of new-age technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), augmented and virtual reality (AR/VR) and the internet of things (IoT). This transformation is enabled by 5G networks with significantly high bandwidth and low latency. Industry leaders share their views on the use cases of these technologies, challenges in deployment and upcoming digital trends in the sector…
What are the use cases of technologies such as AR/VR, IoT and AI/ML in the education sector? How will 5G drive the adoption of these solutions?
Technologies such as AR/VR, IoT or AI play a critical role in the education space, especially in content creation, delivery and evaluation. AR/VR has become invaluable in enabling student participation and creating immersive real-time scenarios, whether it is working on an engine like Auto B or exploring scenarios in biotechnology and biology. It can even extend to human biology, allowing individuals to understand various organs without the need for dissections. The advancement of technologies such as metaverse offers significant potential for the education sector, provided it is utilised positively. IoT or AI/ML play a crucial role in the delivery of content and in understanding students based on real-time feedback. Based on this feedback, the delivery, content and examples can be modified to improve teaching and learning. In addition, AI/ML plays a crucial role in evaluation mechanisms, both assistive and adaptive evaluation, which are being developed to assess true learning outcomes. The speed of 5G will further supplement and complement the use of technology within the education space.
What are the ICT solutions deployed by your organisation? What are the main challenges faced while deploying new-age technologies?
We have several copyrighted implementations of ICT solutions. For instance, teaching effectiveness rating engine is a tool that allows students to give feedback on key parameters such as content, delivery, example building, value addition and doubt clearing. This feedback is aggregated onto a dashboard, allowing faculty members to visualise the translation of knowledge, understand whether the students are liking the examples, and identify areas where doubt clearing may be necessary.
Another copyrighted implementation is the lack of resource reporting engineering, where lab students can provide feedback on standard procedures and report the unavailability of equipment, gadgets or chemicals to ensure prompt resolution. We have also implemented a feature that uses intelligent models to create question papers from question banks. The model is designed to pick questions based on complexity and marks, which then sums up the best-fit procedures.
How will the rise of various AI tools impact teaching and learning? How will it influence learner-instructor interaction?
It will drive a paradigm shift, with the emergence of generative pre-drawing transformers and large language models. It will take the interaction between teachers and learners to the next level as both parties can leverage these tools to create new forms of knowledge during class sessions. It will not be the conventional client-server technology wherein the teacher disseminates or shares the knowledge; it would shift towards a collaborative exchange of ideas, bringing out the best from both sides. With continuous advancements in technology and the emergence of intelligent tools, learner-instructor interaction is set to soar to new heights.
What are the three key digital trends to watch out for in the education sector?
AI will significantly contribute to the education sector by effectively engaging in the teaching-learning process, pedagogical initiatives, evaluations and the creation of futuristic content. The second trend is the emergence of digital twins, which can facilitate the accurate modelling of progress and enable efficient identification and resolution of knowledge gaps with minimal time investment. Blockchain is another technology poised to revolutionise the teaching and learning process.
