7 ways AI can change online education in 2024 by Honorlock

7 ways AI can change online education in 2024

7 ways AI can change online education in 2024 © Honorlock 2024

7 ways AI can change online education in 2024

Table of Contents

AI has been a staple in online learning for quite some time, saving time by streamlining tasks and personalizing learning paths. The landscape of AI tools—and we don’t just mean trendy tools like ChatGPT—is evolving faster than ever, constantly redefining capabilities, and creating more opportunities to improve online education for everyone involved. While some of the AI tools we’ll show you aren’t widely used in online learning yet, we’ll explain how they work and discuss how they could be adapted for online learning environments.

7 ways AI can change online education in 2024

Going beyond just improving accessibility

Integrating AI chatbots into course activities

Creating more equitable admissions processes

Using AI for on-demand tutoring

Stop remote access software in contract cheating

Understanding complex data & taking action

Fighting against leaked test questions

7 ways AI can change online education in 2024

1. Going beyond just improving accessibility

Emotion AI can also be particularly beneficial for learners with disabilities, ensuring their unique emotional expressions are understood and accommodated in all areas of online learning.

There are tons of assistive technologies that help improve accessibility in online learning, but recent AI developments can improve what currently exists and offer new ways to create inclusive environments where diversity is valued and every learner feels like they belong.

The charts on the right side of the images below show how Video Emotion AI can track eye contact as a way to measure level of attention, which could indicate interest or disinterest. The first images show high levels of attention when there’s eye contact, while the bottom images show a drop in attention when the participant’s eyes move away.

Emotion AI

This technology can also gauge interest based on blinking time, expressions, and more.

With its ability to interpret complex emotional cues, emotion AI could become a game-changer in online learning, particularly for learners who have difficulties expressing emotions or those who express emotions in unique ways, ensuring a more inclusive educational experience.

What is emotion AI?

Emotion AI, sometimes called affective computing, detects and interprets human emotions by analyzing text, vocal (audio), and video and associating specific components with related emotions. Text: analyzes written language to identify sentiment and emotional tone • Example uses: analyzing written communication, like forum responses and course evaluations, to identify, understand, and address emotional states. Vocal (audio): identifies emotions from spoken words based on vocal characteristics like volume, tone, pitch, and speed. • Example uses: monitoring learners’ spoken responses during online classes and virtual presentations to detect nuances in learner interest or distress. Video: observes body language, facial expressions, and gestures to determine emotional states. • Example uses: observing facial expressions and body language during video conversations and online exams to understand learners’ confusion and levels of interest or disinterest.

7 ways AI can change online education in 2024

Speech & language AI

7 ways AI can change online education in 2024

But there’s good news: voice and speech recognition technologies are becoming more accurate, and there are accent recognition AI tools built specifically to recognize and better understand accents. If these AI tools are integrated with the users’ devices, it would improve the operability of voice-controlled technologies and generate more accurate live captioning and transcriptions. These tools analyze and interpret speech patterns, intonations, and pronunciations specific to different accents.

Accent recognition AI

“Sorry, I didn’t quite catch that.”

While this accent recognition AI is developing and becoming more accessible, we all have cultural differences, which means that context is often needed. That’s where localization AI comes into play.

Even if you’re a native English speaker, you’ve probably heard this or something similar from Alexa, Google Assistant, or Siri. But they’re pretty accurate overall— between 85 and 95% accurate, depending on the technology.

Localization AI

Localization AI can be trained to go far beyond translations, providing important contextual information and adapting to specific dialects, cultures, and preferences.

95% accuracy is impressive, but that still means every 20th word is wrong, which is the exact length of this sentence.

Here’s a quick example of why context is important:

However, the experience can be different depending on your accent, even if you’re a native English speaker.

What do you call the object in this image?

Most Americans call it a soccer ball, but it’s referred to as a football in the UK and most other countries, except for Canada, Australia, and South Africa.

A study found that people with Southern and Western accents were more accurately understood by voice assistants compared to people with Eastern and Midwest accents. But what about people with non-native accents in America? The study showed 30% more inaccuracies for people with non-native accents, especially Spanish and Chinese accents, which is especially troubling because they’re the most commonly spoken non-English languages in the U.S., according to the Census Bureau.

So, if you’re a US-based company selling “soccer balls” in the UK, your sales might flop. Similarly, when learning content isn’t localized, it can be confusing to some. However, if localization AI can be integrated into online courses, it can help improve communication and understanding to build more inclusive, culturally sensitive, and globally connected educational environments.

22% (69.2 million people) of the U.S. population speak languages other than English. Source: U.S. Census Bureau

Now, imagine how frustrating the experience would be if English wasn’t your first language.

7 ways AI can change online education in 2024

Name pronunciation AI

7 ways AI can change online education in 2024

Realistic sign language interpretation AI

What’s a surefire way to stifle inclusion and belonging? Mispronouncing someone’s name—even if it’s an innocent mistake—is probably something that person encounters on a daily basis.

Newer sign language interpretation AI can significantly enhance the user experience by generating realistic signing videos. Unlike the commonly used cartoon-like avatars in similar tools, these newer tools create a more lifelike experience by splicing together videos of real people signing. This approach not only improves clarity but also provides a more authentic and engaging way of learning sign language.

How does name pronunciation AI work? • Integrates throughout your online courses within the LMS, SIS, and other platforms to ensure that names are accurately pronounced.

The image below shows the difference between newer AI with realistic signing videos [left] compared to other tools that use cartoon-like avatars.

• Uses databases of audio name pronunciations and algorithms that recommend correct pronunciations. • Learners can voice-record their names, and the recording is available throughout courses. Examples of when name pronunciation AI can be used: • Discussions in online classes • One-on-one advisement sessions • Virtual information sessions and recruitment conversations • Student support

Some sign language interpretation AI can also provide real-time translation of spoken language and text to sign language, and vice versa, making content accessible to deaf or hard-of-hearing learners.

“AI is a great resource to improve accessibility and DEI in online education, but more importantly, it helps those with disabilities gain the confidence they need in order to thrive. It allows them to get their message across clearly and express

themselves in ways they couldn’t before.” - CollabFWD

7 ways AI can change online education in 2024

2. Instructors integrating AI chatbots into course activities

3. Creating more equitable admissions processes

AI chatbots like ChatGPT and Google Bard are especially controversial in any form of online education because of concerns about plagiarism and academic dishonesty. However, when integrated appropriately, they can create more engaging and interactive courses that support learning in different ways.

While formal admissions review policies are put into place and more institutions are changing their criteria, implicit and explicit biases still exist in the admissions process. Luckily, AI software can help squash biases during different stages of the admissions process.

Instructors can use AI chatbots to:

Automated interview platforms

These AI-driven platforms standardize admissions interviews with structured virtual interviews to help reduce bias and remove barriers to access, such as location and travel costs.

• Offer interactive course activities: learners engage in debates with chatbots, participating in debates, roleplaying exercises, and more.

Generative AI chatbots

• Help develop curriculum & content: assisting instructors in creating, updating, and organizing course content.

By using predefined prompts, chatbots can analyze and provide feedback on both subjective and objective aspects of students’ written submissions for admissions requirements, such as personal statements and writing samples, without bias.

• Analyze learners’ written responses: evaluating and providing feedback on learners’ written work.

Objective feedback may include evaluating grammar, spelling, and punctuation, while subjective feedback can focus on tone and the strength of the overall narrative. AI chatbots can also provide a blind review, focusing only on the content instead of the identity of the learner.

• Encourage learners to use them as tutors: AI tools can serve as personal tutors for additional learning support. It’s important to create clear AI use policies for your online courses. Although chatbots offer many benefits, they can also make it easy to plagiarize written work and gain an unfair advantage during exams. This copy-and-paste AI policy template can be used as-is or edited to fit your specific requirements.

7 ways AI can change online education in 2024

4. Using AI for on-demand tutoring

AI writing assistants help to:

AI tools such as intelligent tutoring systems, chatbots, and writing assistants offer 24/7 interactive tutoring and support, which enhances learning while building a more diverse and inclusive educational environment that accommodates various learning styles and needs.

or with cognitive disabilities, ensuring their writing is polished and their ideas are

Bridge language gaps: helps learners who are writing in an unfamiliar language conveyed clearly. Offer immediate feedback: learners with intellectual disabilities benefit from instant feedback because it helps them make connections between their behavior and the

Intelligent Tutoring Systems (ITS)

feedback.

ITS simulates one-on-one human tutoring, offering tailored feedback and adapting course materials to meet each learner’s needs. They can guide learners through problem-solving steps, offer hints, break down complex topics, and recommend additional relevant content.

Provide direct and indirect feedback: offering both types of feedback helps learners identify and correct their mistakes and motivates them to explore solutions independently.

Chatbots

• Direct feedback shows errors with the correction.

Chatbots can provide learners with instant tutoring and support anytime they need it. Learners can use chatbots to dig deeper into complex subjects, brainstorm ideas, provide feedback on written work, translate text, and check writing quality.

• Indirect feedback shows errors but doesn’t provide the correction upfront.

AI writing assistants

AI writing assistants like Grammarly and Quillbot have been around for a few years now, but they’re evolving. In the past, they helped improve writing by correcting grammar, spelling, and style issues. But now, they’re incorporating other AI capabilities that can instantly make writing more concise, easier to understand, or sound a specific way, such as being more assertive. Here’s an example of how these tools are particularly useful for individuals writing in a second language and for those with learning disabilities, as they can boost confidence and deliver different forms of corrections and feedback. © Honorlock 2024

7 ways AI can change online education in 2024

5. AI can help stop remote access software contract cheating

6. Understanding complex data & taking action

In the past, contract cheating meant paying someone to write an essay for you. But now, a person can pay for test-taking services that use remote access software to take online tests on their behalf.

Institutions have used AI in the past to help collect and understand complex data, but newer tools offer far more insights and opportunities to take action. For example, in the past predictive analytics AI could identify at-risk students based on their grades. Now, AI can identify at-risk students, determine the courses they’re struggling in, pinpoint specific course activities where they’re falling behind, and then recommend resources and support to help them get back on track.

How is remote access software used to cheat on exams?

Have you ever had an issue with your computer and a support technician takes over your computer—mouse and keyboard included—and fixes it from a remote location? That’s essentially how remote access software is used to cheat on exams. The person who paid for the services is on camera while someone else takes the test for them from a remote location off-camera.

Honorlock’s proctoring AI detects and prevents this by: 1. Showing countries where tests are taken: remote proctoring AI shows the countries where tests were taken based on IP addresses. With this in place, a trend of tests taken in countries with no known test takers could be an indication that proxy testtaking services are being used, which should be investigated.

AI can also help understand performance on assessments and protect academic integrity. Honorlock’s Analytics Hub™ offers a comprehensive 360-degree view of proctoring and an entirely new layer of data that answers critical questions about learner and educator interactions with proctoring and how proctoring platforms contribute to upholding educational standards. This data also provides educators with in-depth reporting that can be used to build more effective assessments and protect test content from being leaked on the internet.

2. Securing the browser: certain settings within Honorlock’s remote proctoring platform can be used to detect and prevent remote access software and other applications. 3. Requiring specific keyboard commands before starting the proctored exam while recording the screen: instructions can be given that require test takers to use keyboard commands that display the applications and processes running on the device, such as Ctrl+Alt+Del (Windows) or Cmd+Opt+Esc (Mac). Honorlock’s remote proctoring software also records desktops, so exam administrators can review the recording if there’s any suspicion that someone else took the test on the learner’s behalf.

“Honorlock was more than a tool to guard or block students from inappropriate information. It was also a means to detect many different ways that students approach the exams. Because access to the wealth of data/information through Honorlock, I became better able to utilize it.”

- Ryan P. Mears, PhD Lecturer, University of Florida

7 ways AI can change online education in 2024

7. Fighting against leaked test questions Have you ever searched the internet for your test content? Unfortunately, it’s pretty common for your test questions and answers to be leaked on “homework help” sites like Chegg and on discussion forums like Reddit and Quora—unless you have the right technology in place. Honorlock’s Search & Destroy™ technology streamlines the process of protecting test content by automatically searching the internet for your test content in just minutes. The process is further simplified with a one-click option to send takedown requests. This eliminates the manual effort of selecting specific questions for concern, a requirement with other proctoring services’ technologies.

AI is sophisticated, but the goal of using it in online education is simple: improving the educational experience. While the goal is simple, it’s a complex journey that requires careful planning and thoughtful intent. As you explore using AI, whether as a standalone tool or even as a small part of a course activity, keeping that goal in mind can elevate your efforts and help create truly impactful learning experiences.

Here’s how Search & Destroy works:

Searches the Web

Once Honorlock is enabled for an exam, Search & Destroy scours the web to identify exam questions that have been shared online.

Review Results

Take Action

Honorlock.com +1 (844) 243-2500

Search results are displayed when exam questions have been compromised online.

Update your exam question or send a one-click content takedown request, when your question is in trouble.

16 16