How Do We Know They are Learning? Student Data and the Synergies of Human and Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Abstract

Artificial intelligence (AI) and the fourth industrial revolution have rapidly become the latest buzzwords in the education industry. Learning analytics and student data have become a central focal point in understanding and evaluating students in an attempt to improve upon the learning environment and experience. This paper explores the history and application of AI and learning analytics in higher education, and then discusses the role of AI in designing, delivering, and evaluating the online learning experience. The research presented shares the experience of an instructional team for two cohorts of an online graduate course and the team’s use of available data and learning analytics in delivering the course. Based on the literature and the instructional team’s experience, the paper then proposes a framework for the use of AI in online teaching and learning (OTL).