Demystification of Artificial Intelligence in Education – How much AI is really in the Educational Technology?

Abstract

<span lang="EN-US">The data-driven development of education through Learning Analytics in combination with Artificial Intelligence is an emerging field in the education sector. In the field of Artificial Intelligence in Education, numerous studies and research have been carried out over the past 60 years, and since then drastic changes have taken place. In the first part of this paper we present a brief overview of the current status of Learning Analytics and Artificial Intelligence in education. In order to develop a better understanding of the relationship between Learning Analytics and Artificial Intelligence in education, we outline the relationship between the two phenomena. The results show that the previous studies only vaguely distinguish between them: the terms are often used synonymously. In the second part of the paper we focus on the question why the European market currently has hardly any real applications for Artificial Intelligence in education. The research is based on a meta-investigation of data-driven business models, in particular the so-called Educational Technology providers. The core of the analysis is the question of how data-driven these companies really are, how much Learning Analytics and Artificial Intelligence is applied and whether there is a causal connection between the growth of the Educational Technology market and the application relevance of Artificial Intelligence in Education. In the scientific and public discourse, we can observe a distortion between the theoretical-conjunctive understanding of the application of Artificial Intelligence in Education and the current practical relevance.</span>

Prerequisites for artificial intelligence in further education: identification of drivers, barriers, and business models of educational technology companies

“…In particular, there is often no clear distinction between LA and AIED. A major reason for this is the missing evidence for the application and effect of the terms in education (Ifenthaler & Yau, 2019;Renz, Krishnaraja, & Gronau, 2020;Sclater, Peasgood, & Mullan, 2016). The aspect of a meaningful implementation is important because the barriers are still high when it comes to using data-based EdTech solutions concretely and meaningfully in the existing learning and teaching process (Alexander et al, 2019;Zawacki-Richter et al, 2019).…”

“…Thus, AI opens new possibilities not only for learning and teaching but also the administration and management of educational institutions. Although the relevance of AIED is continuously increasing, Renz et al (2020) note that there are only a few examples in the current discourse that have already implemented AIED successfully and sustainably in higher education. We briefly discuss some AIED lighthouse projects in section "Research results".…”

“…While ML as a component of AI does not need to be further delimited in the context of our work, the terms LA and EDM need to be considered in a more differentiated way. In principle, AIED, LA, and EDM are the research communities that encompass the concept of technology-enhanced learning and use of available digital data to improve the quality of higher education (Labarthe, Luengo, & Bouchet, 2018;Renz et al, 2020). Renz et al (2020) illustrate the relationships among these terms in the context of education (see Fig.…”

“…The focus of AIED is providing intelligent agents and tutors through AI-supported learning platforms (Alexander et al, 2019;Labarthe et al, 2018;Renz et al, 2020).…”

“…7 The examples listed here are already being successfully implemented, but at the same time, they represent only flagship areas of AIED. Renz et al (2020) have investigated AIED in a research project and hardly found any teaching and learning solutions that were truly AI-based. Beyond that, numerous questions remain unanswered: What are the long-term consequences of the almost unlimited data measurement of our learning behavior?…”