Ever since the introduction of ChatGPT, conversations surrounding Artificial Intelligence have gone into overdrive. The benefits of incorporating AI tools into virtually any industry is what makes the technology so powerful. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that the edTech industry has the most to gain from AI.
AI can be incorporated into eLearning in a lot of different ways. We’ve already seen an increased use of chatbots and automated assessments in online learning platforms. Another popular approach is the use of an AI coach. Coaching is a great way to leverage AI technology in a way that encourages learning and allows students to think creatively.
Let’s take a look at how you can incorporate an AI Coach in your Open edX instance!
The Need for an AI Coach in eLearning
Ever hit a wall as a learner? It’s probably the most natural thing to experience as a student. Learners constantly take in new information and are regularly challenged to apply their knowledge. In the traditional classroom setting, an instructor is usually available to help students break through. In online learning, an instructor is not always present, since learning can be asynchronous.
In cases like these, students can rely on tools like AI Coach that can provide feedback and streamline the learner’s thought process. Having a tool like this on hand reduces student dependency on their teachers, lessens the workload for instructors, and most importantly, encourages self-paced learning.
How Does AI Coach Work?
AI Coach helps learners improve their answers with Open AI. Based on the learner’s response, the tool can give feedback, suggest improvements, and mark questions as complete. It also saves the learners’ answers which can be accessed at any later time.
For instructors, incorporating AI Coach in the Open edX platform is very simple. The tool takes in the assignment question, learner response, as well as the context for the question. The ‘Context’ field acts as an AI prompt. For example, an instructor could ask the AI Coach to provide tips to improve the answer. There are a number of AI models to choose from. Furthermore, the instructor can also decide the number of times students can use the coach for each question.
To leverage the tool, learners must input their response to a particular question and simply press the ‘Ask From Coach’ button. The AI-generated response would be visible next to the answer field. Based on the feedback, students can edit their answers and press ‘Submit’ when they are satisfied with their responses.
Since AI Coach takes in learners’ answers as a prompt, the feedback generated is unique to each learner’s attempt. This is a great example of leveraging AI to deliver personalized learning experiences.
Installing AI Coach in Your Open edX Instance
Adding AI Coach to your LMS platform requires installing the XBlock, adding the Open AI secret key, and updating the advanced settings of the course in question. We’ve compiled a step-by-step guide, complete with installation instructions and screenshots in our repository.
Get in Touch
A lot of debate around AI centers around the possibility of increased dependency on automation, plagiarism, or even bias in algorithms. While all of these concerns are legitimate, the benefits of using AI in education cannot be denied. AI Coach is one of the ways Artificial Intelligence can be put to good use. When used correctly, using a coach can help learners brainstorm ideas.
Incorporating AI Coach in your LMS is not challenging but we recommend consulting an expert. Edly can help you incorporate all that you need to create tailored learning experiences for your students while leveraging the latest edTech tools out there. Get in touch with us today or try our platform for free!
