Benefits & Limitations of AI in M-Learning
Benefits:
The examples showcased in the previous section highlight some of the most significant advantages of integrating AI into mobile education.
These include, but are not limited to:
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personalized tutoring and feedback,
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convenience,
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flexibility, and
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saving time and resources
These are explored from the student as well as educator perspectives below.
For Students
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Flexibility: ‘just-in-time’, personalized learning. Students can learn whatever they need, whenever they need it.
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Convenience: whenever, wherever access to information and learning, adapted to individual pace. The system monitors student progress and guides them to more meaningful and appropriate learning experiences.
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Support system: timely notifications, archived course material and resources; available to refer to as needed.
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Feedback: evaluation of teaching and learning, ask questions and receive answers instantly with automated responses
For Instructors & Administrators
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Information management: manage multiple classes of students in multiple courses; organize assessments, automated grading of simple tasks.
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Data/learning analytics: analyze student progress and grades; set up appropriate tests/assessment; improve learning to suit learners’ needs.
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Professional development: identify problem areas, suggest new courses of interest and brush up on existing issues.
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Feedback: compile records of student doubts and misconceptions, look through automated responses – add to database for future use and improvement.
Limitations:
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Data driven: as the name suggests, it is artificial; lacks human-like cognition and emotional intelligence; impersonal.
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Technical/accessibility issues: needs fast and constant connectivity, wireless network, high data transfer rates - not readily available to all.
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Cost: expensive device/equipment, software, connectivity/data transmission prices.
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Support: accessibility, technical troubleshooting; with cutting-edge technology, solutions are not readily available.
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Privacy: data storage and access concerns; can be invasive; ethical concerns.
General Comments:
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Along with the tremendous potential for the personalization and customization of education that AI offers, it also brings with it the potential threats of unemployment and widening the gap between those who can access or afford AI technology and those who cannot. AI also holds promise for removing certain learning limitations and enhancing individual potential. However, due to its limited accessibility, it is difficult to assess its efficiency for student learning at this time. In my research, I have not yet been able to find concrete, credible, generalizable, quantitative data to support increased educational benefits; the qualitative results remains divided on the pros and cons of AI in education.
A second reason for limited availability of data is due to the high costs attached to AI technology. While some of the applications and resources posted in the Examples section are available free of charge, a lot of the ones that are personalized and adaptive have a cost attached to them. Those that are free also require devices, in most cases, new and top-of-the range kind, that can support high transmission rates and fast connections.
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Finally, AI may have the ability to read facial expressions and classify emotions, however, it does not yet have the ability to empathize and form meaningful relationships (however attached we may be to our devices).