How AI in Education Is Transforming Teaching and Learning

The recent boom of Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly reshaping every industry, and education is no exception. 

From personalised learning experiences to innovative tools that prepare students for the future, AI is transforming how we teach and learn. 

Join us as we explore AI and Machine Learning (ML), their positive impact on education, and how CD-Soft's products can support this transformation.

What’s the difference between AI and ML?

AI refers to the ability of machines to perform tasks that mimic human intelligence, such as problem-solving, decision-making and language understanding. Machine Learning, on the other hand, is a subset of AI, taking this a step further by enabling machines to learn and improve from data and experience.

To make the difference clearer, imagine you task a robot with playing chess. You program it with rules and possible moves, and it follows those instructions to play the game. This would be artificial intelligence. Now, imagine you use the same robot but, instead of programming it with rules, you provide it with thousands of chess games to study. The robot analyses these games and learns patterns, strategies and tactics on its own. This would be machine learning, as the robot improves at chess by learning from experience. 

How TinyML is revolutionising this space

TinyML is a type of machine learning that can run on small devices like those used for sensing things like sound, images, and speech. Unlike regular machine learning, TinyML uses very little power, memory, and computing power, making it perfect for small gadgets and battery-powered devices.

TinyML’s low energy needs make it great for smart devices in the Internet of Things (IoT) world. This includes things like smart home systems, health monitors, and educational kids' toys.

One of the main reasons why TinyML is a hot topic in the AI and ML industry at the moment is its potential applications, including:

• Voice-based applications
• Vision-based applications
• Health diagnostics
• Autonomous vehicles
• Data pattern compression and classification
• Edge computing
• Phenomics
• And more!

ML and AI in education

AI and ML, especially TinyML, are doing much more than just injecting new boosts of fun and excitement into education. They’re also making headway in improving learning experiences for students of all ages, as well as transforming teachers’ abilities to become more efficient, and add creative spices to their lesson plans. Here are some interesting ways ML and AI are transforming education:

Personalised learning

Students learn at different paces. AI-driven platforms are revolutionising personalised learning by adapting to each student’s pace and unique learning needs. For instance, if a student encounters difficulties with a specific maths concept, an AI-enhanced platform might offer targeted support through additional explanations, practice problems, and tailored visual aids. 

Platforms like Khan Academy and DreamBox Learning are already taking advantage of adaptive learning techniques to differentiate lesson plans and provide customised learning experiences. As this technology continues to evolve, the potential for AI to transform personalised learning in classrooms becomes increasingly promising.

Automated administrative tasks

Teaching is a labour of love, and time-consuming administrative tasks can zap the energy needed to give a classroom your all. That’s where AI technologies come in. AI is supporting teachers by automating long-drawn-out tasks like scheduling, grading, lesson planning, and attendance tracking, freeing up valuable time to create and deliver content-rich lessons.

Smart educational resources

The factory model of education, where students all learn at the same pace from the same textbook, is about as relevant today as that old CD holder you used to strap onto your car’s sun visor. The landscape of education has shifted. It’s becoming clearer that students find greater motivation to learn in a classroom of engagement and interaction. AI is a super tool for creating smart, engaging content. Teachers can use it to generate interactive textbooks, digital resources and educational games, making learning more enjoyable and accessible for students of all levels. 

For example, teachers can use the Elecfreaks Smart AI lens Kit to help students explore AI concepts such as image recognition, object tracking and facial detection. By tracking objects and analysing their movements, students can get an intuitive sense of how AI learns to make predictions based on patterns it detects. This can open up interesting classroom discussions about how machine learning is used in industries like robotics and self-driving cars.

Data-driven insights

The education sector is using machine learning algorithms to analyse enormous amounts of educational data to uncover insights about how students are performing, what learning trends are emerging, and where improvements are needed. Teachers can use this information to make smart, data-driven decisions, tweak their teaching methods, and step in early to help students who might be falling behind.

Why it’s important for students to learn AI and ML

As AI and ML become a bigger part of our everyday lives and industries, it's more important than ever for students to understand these technologies and how to use them. Learning about AI and ML gives students valuable skills that are in high demand, like problem-solving, critical thinking and creativity, as well as how to work with these technologies. By starting early with these concepts, educators can help shape a new generation of innovators who are ready to take on the challenges of the future.

CD-Soft’s tools for teaching AI and ML

CD-Soft is committed to supporting educators in teaching essential skills that will prepare students for future careers (and making it a whole heap of fun for students along the way!). To help teachers introduce AI and ML to students of all ages and learning stages, we have several educational tools that move hands-on learning forward in leaps and bounds.

Matatalab VinciBot Robot

The Matatalab VinciBot Robot is a perfect fit for primary and secondary school children, mixing play with coding and AI in a fun, hands-on way. Along with its general AI capabilities, this robot specifically features embedded robot learning with TinyML and IoT functions. With its easy-to-use visual programming interface, young students can create their own commands and watch them come to life. VinciBot helps kids get the hang of AI basics through simple coding exercises, giving them a solid foundation to tackle more advanced concepts as they grow.

Matatalab AI Vision Kit

The Matatalab AI Vision Kit is a must-have addition for the VinciBot, expanding its capabilities and allowing it to recognise and respond to visual inputs, thanks to TinyML technology. This kit focuses on giving students a beginner-friendly AI experience, introducing facial ID recognition and taking learning up a notch from the basic VinciBot functionality.

Matatalab VinciBot 3-in-1 Smart Sports Kit

The great divide in school between sports and science has merged thanks to the Matatalab VinciBot 3-in-1 Smart Sports Kit. Designed for more advanced students, the 3-in-1 Smart Sports Kit provides an exciting way to explore AI applications in sports and movement. This kit includes AI sensors and advanced programming options that challenge students to dive into coding by creating their own interactive sports game. 

For example, they can program VinciBot to navigate a mini obstacle course, simulating a soccer match where it dribbles a ball and scores goals. By adjusting the code, students can experiment with different strategies, like dodging "defenders" or shooting from various angles.

Matatalab Nous AI Set

Students can use the Matatalab Nous AI Set to explore the basics of AI by creating simple, interactive projects that demonstrate how machines can “learn” from data. For example, they can build a facial recognition program where the Nous AI set uses its camera to recognise different emotions, like happy or sad, on drawn faces or even their own expressions. As they adjust the settings and see how the system learns, students gain a hands-on grasp of AI concepts like data training and pattern recognition, making complex ideas fun and easy to understand. The Nous Camera technology also integrates various AI features such as MatataChat, MatataDraw, TinyML, and Computer Vision.

Discover the exciting range of AI and ML tools at CD-Soft

As AI and ML become a bigger part of our everyday lives and industries, it's more important than ever for students to get a handle on these technologies. 

At CD-Soft, our passionate team is here to provide invaluable support, insight and guidance, making sure you have the right AI and ML tools to enrich your classroom and shape the future of education.