Innovative pedagogy and the AI-powered metaverse
It is already a known fact that there is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to learning. Given all the existing opportunities offered by the booming EdTech sector, why is the level of personalization still limited and, in many cases, predetermined by a series of courses or by established learning paths?
Everyone learns differently
Brain researchers claim that every individual has different levels of neuroplasticity, leading to countless… learning behavior and preferred learning styles. In our fast-paced world, learning has to become more and more efficient, so that new knowledge can be adopted more quickly. This is especially important when we consider the findings of several studies, all of which conclude that one job may not be enough to remain attractive in the future job market. So how can we create tailor-made, first-class learning experiences that combine the right pedagogical approach with making the most of emerging EdTech tools?
How can the right pedagogical approach stimulate the personalization of learning?
By taking the mix and match approach, you enable your students to customize their learning experience, giving them the opportunity to:
1. Choose a topic of their interest
Instead of offering a set package of courses, let the learner be the professor in creating their own curriculum. Of course, suggestions on which courses are appropriate to achieve the desired goal (such as Python coder becoming) are greatly appreciated and are often necessary.
2. Choose the proportion of theory and practice
Do not present courses as static items that cannot be changed. Let students choose the relationship between theory and practice they want. Given the trend of microlearning, if you develop your training materials as short nuggets, it should give students the flexibility to combine their favorite amount of theory with practical exercises.
3. Choose the percentage of interactivity and exercises
Some people prefer to discuss and practice newly acquired knowledge with other peers, giving them the freedom to incorporate more social interaction and group work into their learning. On the contrary, there are also individuals who learn better themselves and should not be forced to participate in discussion forums or group assignments.
4. Choose an instructor from an existing pool of experts
If there are many instructors teaching the same course, let the learner choose the one they most identify with, based on their experience, teaching methods, etc. Several studies show that if the student connects with teacherthe involvement and learning involvement increases.
In short, by giving your students the freedom to set up their own courses with an instructor of their choice, they can tailor their learning path to their own liking. A positive element of this approach is to put your students at the center of their learning experience without having to make a huge investment in new technology.
How can new technology improve the personalization of future learning?
Perhaps many of us haven’t had a chance to integrate Virtual Reality (VR), Artificial Intelligence (AI) or the metaverse into our learning practice yet, but it’s worth knowing their potential and keeping an eye on their development.
1. AI virtual coach
An AI-powered virtual coach can be a nice, low-profile start to introduce AI into your learning platform. AI bots have several useful features for enhancing personalization, such as:
- Recommend relevant content
Based on their training history, they can suggest further content to students. - Analyze student behavior
They can track student preferences by evaluating student metrics and patterns. - 24/7 availability
They are always able to answer student questions, but they may not always have the right answer…
2. Metaverse
- What is the metaverse?
The metaverse is a virtual 3D extension network of the Internet as we know it. It offers its users enormous possibilities of real-time interactions in virtual worlds, allowing them to create an online environment of their choice. Future metaverses are expected to fully adopt and embrace VR and AI, creating a true virtual world. Many experts argue that such comprehensive virtual learning experiences are very likely to outperform traditional classroom storytelling and testing by introducing highly immersive learning experiences, leading to greater engagement, customization, and greater learning effectiveness. - The potential of the metaverse for learning
Compared to a simple online course, the metaverse allows students to interact directly in virtual classrooms and workshops with real-life characters, rather than talking to each other through a screen. - Multilingual learning content
Another highly regarded benefit of AI in a metaverse learning environment is the ability to localize and deliver real-time translated training content in any language of the learner’s choice. This fact allows for more personalization, removing language barriers. Combined with a virtual AI coach that tracks learners’ activities, we can expect significant progress in the customized approach to learning, addressing each student’s individual needs.
Extraordinary Personalization Awaits
It seems rather inevitable – we need to keep an eye on the metavers and its evolving potential in learning. Some education providers have already forged significant partnerships with leading metaverse players (such as EdX, Coursera partnership with Meta – it recently rebranded as Facebook), and the first virtual learning platforms are being developed in immersive metaverse environments.