AI in Education: Artificial Intelligence in the Classroom Helps Learning

Artificial intelligence is considered one of the most innovative technologies in recent times. Some have even compared its impact to the birth of the internet.

That’s no surprise, considering that AI affects every industry imaginable, from healthcare to finance. But in our opinion, AI in education is one of its most exciting applications.

Just look at how the internet revolutionized teaching, such as introducing remote classes and asynchronous learning. Artificial intelligence in schools is expected to have the same impact — possibly even more.

So, how is AI used in education? Let’s explore a few exciting possibilities.

7 Powerful Roles of AI in Education

Automated Transcription of Lectures

One of the familiar sights in a classroom is students furiously taking down notes while the teacher is giving a lecture. However, this traditional practice could be more efficient. 

The danger is that students spend more time thinking about how to take down notes properly than absorbing the information conveyed in the lecture. That can hamper learning significantly.

The best solution is automated transcription of that lecture.

Teachers can record their entire class in an audio file. That file is then fed to an automated speech-to-text software like Sonix, converting it into a document. Then, it can then be printed or uploaded to the cloud for students to access.

With this approach, students can focus on listening to the class, knowing they’ll get a word-for-word transcription later.

A transcript is better than a handout, traditionally given before the lecture starts. It isn’t a comprehensive account of everything the lecturer said, thus still requiring note-taking. However, a transcription reports the class in its entirety.

Automated Note-Taking

Another alternative solution to manual note-taking is allowing artificial intelligence for school students to use as a supplementary tool.

That can be done through automated note-taking. The student has a device or software that records and transcribes the lecture in real-time. The process must be done quickly to match the lecturer’s speed.

Automated note-taking is helpful because only a few schools and classrooms plan to embrace computerized transcriptions. In these cases, the students can still benefit.

This technology is also fantastic for people who have disabilities. For instance, people who are hard of hearing can still learn from the lecture even if they can’t hear it. It’s also useful for those with learning disabilities, as they can review notes later at their own pace.

Real-Time Translation of Spoken Content

Using translation AI in classrooms is an innovation that potentially impacts learning most significantly. That is especially true in schools with diverse student populations that use multilingual instruction or constantly accept international or exchange students.

How it works is simple. A speech-to-text tool translates the spoken content into a text file. It’s then parsed through a translator that converts it into the target language. The use of AI makes the translation fast and much more accurate.

Real-time translation of lectures makes it easy for students to learn a new language. Lessons can be translated into their native language, allowing them to see similarities and differences in syntax and words that support learning. That is also useful if the teacher isn’t proficient in the student’s language, giving them the tools to still teach in these circumstances.

Real-time translation also makes collaboration between international students possible. For instance, a Chinese student can work on an assignment or project with an American student. That gives them the whole experience of immersing in another culture without the language barrier.

Audio and Video Content Summarization

Another potential role of AI for school work is automated summaries.

AI can take a transcript of an audio or video file and then condense it into a more concise version that contains only a few sentences and bullet points. This process removes all the fluff while retaining only essential information.

This approach can significantly speed up learning since students absorb only the essential information. It also saves them the work of extracting the key points themselves.

Content summarization is also beneficial for teachers and lecturers. It can help them create course materials, handouts, and syllabuses from multiple, lengthy lectures in seconds. That saves them time that they can allocate to more productive tasks.

Automated Transcription of Student Presentations

Student presentations are an opportunity for supplemental learning from fellow students. Unfortunately, very few listen to it intently, much less take notes.

You can solve this problem with automated transcription. Much like using AI software to transcribe teacher lectures, you can also use it for student presentations. 

That enables their fellow students to focus on the demonstration. Teachers will also have a more straightforward time grading student presentations since they can evaluate the transcript critically.

Automated transcription also benefits the presenters themselves. They can review a word-for-word text of their presentation, noting errors or breaks in their arguments. That can help them identify areas for improvement.

Increased Accessibility with Transcribed Materials

Accessibility is perhaps one of the most important uses of AI in classroom settings. It opens up many tools to make education more inclusive and accessible to students with diverse needs.

For instance, people who have learning disabilities might have a hard time keeping up with the lecturer in class. Automated transcription tools like Sonix make it easy for students to have a lecture transcript so they can review it later.

The transcript is also easier to integrate into other assistive technologies. For example, the text can be converted into Braille for vision-impaired students to read. It’s just another example of how AI in education facilitates learning.

Real-Time Captioning of Virtual Classes

AI can also be used to create real-time captions during online classes. They help students understand the lecture more by providing an additional layer of comprehension, in the same way that subtitles help viewers understand the dialogue in a movie.

Real-time captioning is especially useful if the topic of discussion is complex or involves a lot of unfamiliar terms or jargon. It’s also great if the speaker has a foreign accent or speaks really fast.

Captioning also compensates for some limitations of virtual classes. Poor connection or hardware can make the audio garbled and hard to understand. Subtitles allow the students to understand the lecture despite poor audio quality.

Finally, captions enhance multimodal learning. Combining spoken and written words can reinforce learning and lead to better information retention among students.

Revolutionize AI in the Classroom with Sonix

Undoubtedly, using AI in schools and classrooms will become the future of education. The benefits of efficient and improved learning are tough to ignore.

But to reap the rewards of AI, you’ll need a tool that can deliver real-time performance and accurate results. That’s where Sonix comes in.

Sonix is the best automated transcription software in the industry. It uses cutting-edge AI to deliver fast, accurate, and affordable transcripts. And that’s just the beginning! 

Sonix also delivers accurate translation in over 38+ languages, word-by-word timestamps, speaker labeling, and multi-track capabilities. All these tools are backed by a powerful yet easy-to-use in-browser UI and editor. If you need any help, our award-winning team is always happy to assist you.

Start your free trial of Sonix’s audio transcription service today and get 30 minutes of free transcription today.