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How AI Makes Online Courses Smarter

Online courses have revolutionized education to a great extent, but the recent advances in technology make it even easier to learn online and effectively develop different skills in various fields. Artificial Intelligence (AI) is one such technology that is rapidly transforming e-learning as we know it, bringing so much potential to already robust e-learning software solutions. With LMS software, you can easily deliver online courses and keep track of your learners’ progress. When you combine it with AI, it can take your teaching and learning experience to a whole new level.

AI truly makes online courses smarter. Here’s how:

Enhancing Personalized Learning

Every learner is characterized by a different learning style, so it’s vital to take that into consideration if you want your online course to be truly effective. A one-size-fits-all approach won’t bring positive results. This is where personalized learning comes into play. If you can provide personalized learning, you can better engage your learners and create fulfilling learning experiences. With data from your LMS software, you can get to know your students better, and get a clear insight into their strengths and weaknesses. What if your online course has hundreds of learners? What if you launched a massive open online course (MOOC) with thousands of learners? Personalization would be nearly impossible. Coupling your e-learning software with AI will enable you to customize each student’s learning path. AI gathers the necessary data to create a profile for each student, and classify them according to their capabilities so that all of them can take a learning path that suits them best.

Enabling Adaptive Learning

Adaptive learning should naturally follow right after you take care of personalized learning. Many educators think they’re one and the same, and the line is a bit blurred, but there’s a key difference. Adaptive learning provides a higher level of personalization because it involves using computer algorithms to deliver customized resources that perfectly fit the specific needs of learners. When you combine AI with your e-learning software, AI runs analyses to continuously adapt the learning path of each learner. This means that a learner won’t stay on the same learning path that they started on, but rather continuously receive learning materials that adapt to their changing way of learning.

Preventing Failure and Course Abandonment

According to a report by the International Review of Research in Open and Distributed Learning, only 12.6% of enrolled MOOC students completed a course, and that’s the average rate. When it comes to private online courses, that percentage may be a bit higher, but it’s still incredibly low. AI can solve this problem and guide all your course takers to the finish line. This is because AI systems use various algorithms to help them accurately predict which learners will abandon a particular course and which of them will actually complete the course. AI can continuously run such analyses and update the data in real time, re-calibrating each student’s chances of success. Armed with such data, you can intervene whenever a student isn’t engaged and encourage them to keep learning. You can address any issues they may face and help them effectively complete the course.

Offering 24/7 Student Support

Being there whenever your students need you is absolutely paramount to the success of their education. Your LMS software can help you communicate with them in real time, and AI can complement it with its power. Integrating an AI teaching assistant into your online courses will enable all your students to get the right kind of support anytime they need it. This is especially important if you have hundreds of students. The AI teaching assistant can instantly answer all of their questions, with little to no waiting time. It is always available in their time of need, even if they have questions in the middle of the night. You can be there to provide assistance regarding complex problems, while AI can provide help for almost everything else, 24/7, keeping the learners interested and engaged in your online courses.

Creating Richer Learning Experiences

By improving online courses and making them smarter, AI is transforming the learning experience. When you keep your learners engaged throughout a course by paying close attention to their learning needs, anytime, anywhere, they are bound to be much more satisfied with the course. Personalized learning, together with adaptive learning, help them stay engaged, as each of them follows a learning path that best fits their needs thereby enabling them to learn something. When AI alerts you that a student is likely to fail or leave the course, it gives you opportunities to intervene, which in turn shows the student that you care about their education and success. That way, they tend to be more motivated to learn. When instructors encourage learners and guide them towards the end of the course, it improves their learning experience and makes the course considerably more effective. AI teaching assistants can help keep learners engaged and close all their knowledge gaps, making sure they have excellent learning experiences.

Key Takeaways

As you can see, AI makes online courses better and smarter in several significant ways. It enables personalized and adaptive learning, provides 24/7 student support, creates fulfilling learning experiences, and prevents students from failing or abandoning an online course. Harness the power of AI and use it alongside e-learning software. Only then will you be able to transform learning for all students who enroll in your online courses.

About the author

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Robin Singh

Robin is a Technical Support Executive. He is an expert in various LMS and employee training software. Currently, he is a resident learning management expert at ProProfs. In his free time, Robin enjoys cycling and sky diving.