Teachers will not be replaced by computer programmes in the future, but it is inevitable that AI will be used more widely as a learning tool.
The National Education Lab AI, which focuses on innovative products in the field of artificial intelligence, will conduct research into intelligent digital educational innovations. The lab at Radboud University was officially opened in October.
The use of intelligent technologies in the classroom has increased significantly in recent years. To capitalise on opportunities and prevent undesirable effects, the National Education Lab AI (Nolai) has now been established. Radboud University is the lead organisation, but various universities, universities of applied sciences, school boards and entrepreneurs are also involved.
EUR 80 million
The National Growth Fund has provided EUR 80 million for the development of NoIai. "There are two main lines within the lab," explains Inge Molenaar, director of the NoIai and associate professor at Radboud University's Behavioural Science Institute (BSI). "We will work with the education field to develop programmes AND we will do scientific research."
Education needs
"Until now, the market has mainly determined what programmes are used in the classroom. They offer their products and education declines, without really making their own choices about what they consider important for their students," says Molenaar. "We will now look at where the needs of education lie. What would they like to see and use? There is also room for technical improvement. A programme can indicate just fine whether a student's answer is right or wrong, but it is a lot harder to give the right feedback to the student about what is going wrong."
Responsible
Adaptive learning tools such as Snappet, Gynzy or Oefenweb, certainly have added value and are already widely used in the classroom. Molenaar: "The teacher will not be replaced by a computer programme in the future either, but that AI will be used more as a learning tool is inevitable. When homeschooling started because of corona, many parents were amazed by all the possibilities that are already available. But of course, this has to be done responsibly. For example, do you want a teacher to be able to see how long and at what time your child worked on an assignment?"
Photo: Radboud University /Merlijn Doomernik
Impact in the classroom
That is why, alongside developing the programmes, scientific research is being carried out into the impact of AI in education. This research covers both pedagogical and didactic aspects, as well as issues relating to ethics and privacy. This raises questions such as: what kind of (international) regulations are needed, and how can you ensure that a programme provides the right feedback to the learner? What information is it permissible to store and what is not, and how can you ensure that all learners benefit from these developments?
Education issues
"Our research focuses on the opportunities offered by technology," says Molenaar. "You can give students more insight into their own learning process. Teachers can be given more time and space to guide students personally. Smart use of AI can also contribute to the big education issues of our time, such as opportunity inequality and workload."
Co-creation
During the Nolai's kick-off meeting, co-creation talks were held and information was gathered on what the wishes are for the programmes. "Recently, we have been working hard on setting up the Nolai, so now we are really getting started," says Molenaar. The Nolai has received funding for 10 years and is unique in its set-up within Europe. "There will be regulations for AI in education at the European level in the near future and the Nolai will definitely play a role in that."
