By Curtis Stone
From 2022 to 2023, the development of AI technologies has significantly altered the academic scene. I have personally witnessed changes in my own study and homework habits to incorporate it. While writing this research paper on which AI tools can benefit college students, I wanted to be able to share these tools with you all and my experience using them.
First off, to be able to write a paper, you need an outline, so I asked Clickup to generate one. It gave me nine main points to talk about in an essay about how AI tools can benefit the learning experience of a college student. For the most part, the ideas generated were pretty good and easy to talk about, but I couldn’t use all of them. Starting it off, I asked Google Bard and ChatGPT to generate introduction paragraphs for the article with the points that Clickup gave me.
What is AI?
“Artificial intelligence is the simulation of human intelligence processes by machines” (www.techtarget.com)
What is Artificial Intelligence and How Does AI Work? | Definition from TechTarget
This is the simplest definition of AI I could find. But what does AI mean for schools and education? AI is transforming the educational landscape, providing college students with new chances for tailored learning, increased productivity, and improved mental well-being. AI-powered tools can cater to individual learning styles and needs, giving students a tailored education and feedback based on their strengths and areas for progress. This tailored strategy can dramatically improve comprehension, retention, and overall academic performance. Aside from academics, AI can address students’ overall well-being by monitoring stress levels, making individualized recommendations, and providing mental health care.
Despite these advances, incorporating AI tools into education poses ethical and privacy concerns. AI needs a sophisticated strategy to achieve a harmonic blend of technology and conventional learning approaches. As the educational landscape evolves, the history of AI technologies emphasizes their potential to assist college students in their pursuit of knowledge and personal improvement.
The importance of incorporating AI tools into the college experience cannot be emphasized enough, as technological breakthroughs are redefining how students interact with academia and handle the complexity of higher education. AI solutions provide a personalized approach to learning. This personalized learning experience goes above and beyond traditional methods, allowing students to grasp concepts at their own pace while also promoting a deeper understanding of the material. Furthermore, the incorporation of AI in productivity tools helps students manage their time more effectively, improve their research abilities, and develop a more streamlined approach to academic tasks.
As technology continues to transform the educational landscape, the importance of AI tools lies not only in academic performance but also in developing a holistic, adaptable, and resilient student body capable of meeting the demands of the modern world.
I was a little surprised at how well the original product of these two introduction paragraphs turned out. However, they weren’t perfect. This was mainly because the AI used a very advanced vocabulary and a slightly clunky writing style. So I asked Quillbot, another AI system, to paraphrase them in a more fluent style. The finished product is a combination of the AI’s words, AI editing, and my personal edits.
In the next few paragraphs, I talk about specific AI tools that I have found to be useful. Unfortunately, it’s impossible for an AI to write about another system that they can’t interact with, so many of these next paragraphs are my writing, edited with the help of Grammarly and Quillbot.
Learning and Studying
AI learning tools are a crucial aspect of modern education and can provide college students with a dynamic and tailored approach to their academic path, and practically every AI system I’m writing about today might be classified as one of these learning tools. However, just a few of them are exclusively used for education and learning — Tutorai and Brainly are two examples of such applications.
Tutorai is a paid service that creates a personalized curriculum on any topic you provide it with. This semester, I used Tutorai to aid with my Chemistry classes, and it has been invaluable. The system creates four modules for you to select from when you ask a specific question. These modules typically include an introductory lesson and three in-depth courses covering different aspects of the topic you asked about. Typically, five to eight lessons make up each module. When learning a lesson, you may ask for clarification on any confusing points, ask for examples, ask follow-up questions, or complete a quiz. Regretfully, the AI is unable to produce photos to aid with studying at this time.
Brainly is another paid service that can be very beneficial for both high school and college-aged students. The system asks you to submit pictures of your homework, and then an AI system can help decipher and teach you the material covered in the question. The way that high school and college students learn is being dramatically changed by these AI tutoring systems. These systems offer each student individualized guidance and support that is designed to meet their unique needs and learning preferences.
These AI teaching techniques, in contrast to conventional tutoring approaches, change the pace and complexity of the material based on real-time assessments of the student’s progress. This improves understanding and creates a learning atmosphere where students can work at their own pace. These AI tools provide focused feedback, pinpointing regions in need of development and supplying supplementary materials to boost comprehension. Colleges enable students to overcome their academic obstacles with a tailored and flexible support system by introducing intelligent tutoring technologies into their curriculum, which eventually results in a more efficient and engaging learning experience.
With the help of AI tools, virtual classrooms and online collaboration have become revolutionary components of the college experience, removing geographical constraints and promoting a more diverse and dynamic learning environment. Otterai is the greatest AI tool I have found for a virtual classroom. You can use this tool to record your Zoom meetings, and it will give you a rundown of the notes it took during the session. It’s even quoted by another AI website as one of the best resources for a college student claiming that the AI can help “students can capture every word of a lecture, ensuring that no important detail is missed” (www.clickup.com)
10 Educational AI Tools for Students in 2023 | ClickUp
With the help of this AI, distant learning becomes more interactive and gives students more chances to participate, converse, and. To improve the entire educational experience, these platforms frequently make use of clever features like tailored learning analytics and automated attendance tracking. AI-enabled online collaboration tools make it easier for students to work together on projects, exchange ideas, and support each other’s academic endeavors. Virtual classrooms and collaborative platforms show how AI tools not only span physical distances but also increase the collaborative and interactive features that are essential to a modern and comprehensive college education, as the digital landscape continues to grow.
AI Writing and Editing
College students’ academic experience has completely changed thanks to AI-driven writing and research help systems that offer a level of support and refinement that was before unthinkable. These technologies improve the overall quality of written work by providing real-time suggestions, fixing grammar, and making use of machine learning and natural language processing methods. I have found several excellent AI tools that support writing and research, including Grammarly, Quillbot, Clickup, Audiopenai, Google Bard, and ChatGPT. Grammarly is an extremely helpful application that proofreads and makes edit suggestions for you. It was cited as the number one best AI tool for college students because of its ability to “detect and correct grammar, spelling, punctuation, and style mistakes in real time” (www.iu.org)
The Best AI Tools for Students | IU International
Grammarly also has a keyboard that checks your work automatically as you write. AI helps research students by automating information-gathering tasks, summarizing papers, and even locating pertinent sources.
Scite.ai is an AI system that I utilized to locate references for this essay. I was able to use the program to look for articles based on suggestions I made to the system. It produced 10 distinct references in a single search. This sped up the research process, promoted critical thinking, and freed up more time for reading the sources rather than looking them up.
These AI-powered writing and research tools are easily accessible, enabling all students to improve their writing and communication abilities and eventually produce more polished and effective pieces. I utilized Google Bard and ChatGPT, both of which are excellent AI tools while writing this essay. I was able to provide these tools with precise concepts I wanted them to write about, and they were able to produce several well-written paragraphs. Without these tools, the quality of this article would be dramatically worse.
Writing isn’t the only aspect that goes into writing papers for college professors. Another big obstacle we all face is research. Fortunately, we have several AI tools to assist with every aspect of writing. These tools use machine learning algorithms to categorize, tag, and organize notes efficiently, changing the way students review information. They contain AI-driven features, such as automatic summarization and keyword identification, that can simplify the process of revisiting and understanding lecture notes and pulling articles off the internet for research. Moreover, these tools often incorporate smart search functions, letting students locate specific information within their notes and the internet quickly. AI solutions free up students’ time during lectures and writing sessions to concentrate on understanding the information first. The use of technology in research not only boosts output but also encourages a more methodical and efficient approach to learning, which benefits college students in general.
Privacy And Ethical Concerns
Not everything about AI is amazing, however. Despite their transformative potential, the integration of AI tools in higher education comes with a set of challenges and considerations. Privacy concerns loom large, as the use of AI often involves the collection and analysis of sensitive student data. While using an AI you inadvertently give up private information such as your image with facial recognition software. This article speaks on the many privacy concerns that arise from using AI tools in our daily lives. AI tools can see what we are doing, and where we are doing it, and can unknowingly map out our entire lives. (www.routledge.com)
AI and Its Implications for Data Privacy
Striking a balance between the benefits of personalized learning and protecting individual privacy becomes a crucial consideration. Ethical challenges also surface, particularly regarding the potential biases embedded in AI algorithms, that they might inadvertently deepen existing disparities in education. Furthermore, ensuring accessibility for all students including those with disabilities — poses a significant challenge. As educational institutions increasingly rely on AI, fostering a culture of digital literacy becomes imperative, equipping students with the skills to navigate the ethical, privacy, and accessibility dimensions of AI tools effectively. Addressing these challenges head-on is essential to harnessing the full potential of AI tools in education while upholding the values of privacy, equity, and inclusivity.
Another important factor to examine regarding the use of these AI tools is using them to do your own work. AI can be used to cheat in school in various ways, including essay generation, problem-solving, language translation, and the accessing of unauthorized information. This problem has scared many schools and teachers in the past few years. While AI can be a powerful tool for good, it can not and should not be used to do the work for you, because if so, you learned nothing about the assignment you were given. AI-powered essay generators can produce grammatically correct and well-structured essays tailored to specific assignment requirements. Similarly, AI can solve complex math, physics, and coding problems, providing students with unfair advantages. AI can also translate foreign language texts into English, allowing students to gain an edge on exams, and vice versa, facilitating plagiarism. “Results show that 56% of college students have used AI on assignments or exams” (www.bestcolleges.com)… This is the problem that teachers and schools are facing with AI tools.
56% of College Students Have Used AI on Assignments or Exams | BestColleges
AI can also be used to access restricted exam resources, such as old test questions which further exacerbates the cheating problem. The increasing prevalence of AI-powered cheating tools poses a significant challenge to schools and universities, necessitating the implementation of effective detection mechanisms, such as AI-identification software. Some schools for instance have moved back to a pen-and-paper style of testing in fear of this new AI-supported method of cheating. This article found that “Of the educators changing their approach, more than three-quarters — 76 percent — are requiring or plan to require handwritten assignments. Sixty-five percent have students type assignments in class with no Wi-Fi access or plan to do so, and 87 percent have or will have students complete an oral presentation along with their written work.” (www.edweek.org)
Teachers Turn to Pen and Paper Amid AI Cheating Fears, Survey Finds
Accessibility Issues
Another challenge lies in ensuring that these tools are inclusive and available to all students, regardless of their ability level. For instance, students with visual impairments might face obstacles if AI tools rely heavily on visual interfaces. It becomes essential for developers and educational institutions to prioritize universal design principles, making AI tools accessible through various modalities such as text-to-speech functionalities or screen readers.
Speaking on this topic Washington.edu said, “One particularly complex problem involves developing new ways for people with disabilities to validate the products of AI tools, because in many cases when AI is used for accessibility, either the source document or the AI-generated result is inaccessible” (www.washington.edu). Considerations must extend to students with diverse learning needs, ensuring that AI-driven content and assessments accommodate various learning styles. By addressing accessibility concerns, colleges can maximize the impact of AI tools, fostering an inclusive educational environment that supports the diverse needs of all students.
Can AI help boost accessibility? These researchers tested it for themselves
What Do You Think About AI?
Student testimonials and feedback offer invaluable insights into the practical impact of AI tools on the college experience. These firsthand accounts provide a nuanced understanding of how AI tools have influenced individual learning journeys. For instance, students might highlight the effectiveness of intelligent tutoring systems in adapting to their unique learning styles, resulting in improved comprehension and academic performance. Feedback on adaptive learning platforms may emphasize the personalized nature of coursework, enabling students to navigate challenging subjects more effectively. Moreover, testimonials related to AI-driven productivity tools could underscore how these technologies have streamlined tasks, reducing stress and enhancing overall efficiency. By incorporating student voices, these testimonials not only validate the efficacy of AI tools but also shed light on areas for improvement, fostering a collaborative dialogue between students, educators, and developers to continually enhance the utility and user experience of AI tools in higher education.
Future Implications
The future implications of AI tools in higher education hold immense promise for shaping more adaptive and student-centered learning. environment. As technology continues to evolve, AI tools are likely to become even more sophisticated, offering enhanced capabilities forpersonalized learning, intelligent assessment, and seamless collaboration. The integration of AI may lead to a paradigm shift in pedagogical approaches, where education becomes increasingly tailored to individual needs, allowing students to explore subjects at their own pace and depth. Moreover, emerging trends such as augmented reality and virtual reality in education may further redefine the classroom experience.
However, as AI continues to advance, careful consideration of ethical implications, privacy safeguards, and ensuring equitable access will be paramount. The future of AI tools in higher education holds the potential to revolutionize the learning landscape, offering innovative solutions that empower students to thrive in an ever-evolving educational ecosystem.
Conclusion
The integration of AI tools has ushered in a transformative era for college students, offering a myriad of benefits across various facets of their academic journey, from personalized learning experiences with tools such as Tutorai and Brainly to enhanced productivity with many tools like Google Bard, ChatGPT, Quillbot, Grammarly, and Clickup. AI tools have become indispensable companions in the modern educational landscape, especially at the college level. While the potential advancements and emerging trends in AI tools hold exciting prospects, ethical considerations, privacy concerns, and accessibility issues require careful navigation. As colleges continue to adapt and innovate, it is clear that AI tools will play an increasingly integral role in shaping a more personalized, efficient, and holistic college experience for students in the years to come.
AI Tools for College Students was originally published in The Herald on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.
