In our current fast-paced and modern world, artificial intelligence and machine learning systems seem to be taking over every aspect of our lives. From being used in robotics for manufacturing operations to Google’s application of machine learning in its image search and translation tools, AI can be hidden in unknown facets of our daily activities. Many of us are quick to imagine high-tech and advanced industries when thinking of AI & task automation, but one area often glides over our minds; education. For the most part, education is not thought to be an extremely technologically advanced field. Although there are an increasing amount of computers and online learning programs (Google Classroom, Canvas, etc.), the education system itself has yet to undergo any substantial automation. Specifically, schools & academic/administrative systems tend to find themselves losing productivity and time over mundane, and repetitive tasks; tasks that could be easily solved by AI automation. So, how exactly does AI task automation work? What significance does this major technology hold in the future of education?
To understand the implementations, let’s take a look at the basis of the technology used. AI (Artificial Intelligence) is essentially an umbrella term for technologies which have the ability to mimic human thinking and actions. One of these technologies which fall under the umbrella of AI is RPA, or Robotic Process Automation. In simple terms, RPA is a new and emerging technology which has the ability to carry out a set of instructions for a “robot” to perform, which is actually only a software robot which runs on a physical or virtual machine. RPA is ultimately based around automating time-consuming and mundane tasks, such as copy-pasting, extracting data, following logical rules, organization, etc. So, what implementations does RPA have in education? Currently, RPA has yet to be used and applied in a mainstream manner in the education sector, which only furthers the importance of its implementation. A case study on how the University of Melbourne implemented RPA technologies from Automation Anywhere, a developer of RPA, found that the institute was able to automate 22 processes, which saved 10,000 hours of manual labor. Even with the limited applications of RPA in education so far, the impacts are clearly advantageous, and the possibilities of its application are endless. The student enrollment process, often a hectic & substantial task to accomplish, can easily be automated by RPA technology through analyzing, validating, checking eligibility/requirements, etc. of a student’s enrollment document. Another application in education would be teacher substitution, where RPA would be able to map out all class timings and teacher details, and convey this information in a user-friendly manner to the administration, which eliminates the manual labor and confusion that comes along with scheduling. The opportunities with RNA in education are vast, from allowing teachers to accelerate the repetitive process of taking attendance to preparing a student’s progress report, AI task automation is easily able to expedite the time and labor put into tedious tasks.
However, what significance does this technology hold, and what impact does it have on the future of education? According to a global survey done by McKinsey & Company, it was found that “teachers, across the board, were spending less time in direct instruction and engagement than in preparation, evaluation, and administrative duties.” Simultaneously, it was also found that technology can help teachers reallocate 20-30% of their time towards student learning. By investing RPA technologies into education, not only will teachers have the ability to be more productive and spend less time on repetitive tasks, but they will also have the opportunity to connect with their students on a deeper level. By having more time and energy to facilitate a stronger and more impactful connection between a student and a teacher, a student’s learning outcomes are likely to drastically improve and increase their chances of success. By furthering AI task automation in education, the future of our students and society are set to excel.
Authored by Surbhi Kumar
Bryant, Jake, et al. “How Artificial Intelligence Will Impact K-12 Teachers.” McKinsey & Company, McKinsey & Company, 4 Dec. 2020, www.mckinsey.com/industries/public-and-social-sector/our-insights/how-artificial-intelligence-will-impact-k-12-teachers.
Team, Neevista. “9 RPA Use Cases That Can Take Your Educational Institution To The Next Level.” 9 RPA Use Cases That Can Take Your Educational Institution To The Next, 0AD, www.neevista.com/articles/9-rpa-use-cases-that-can-take-your-educational-institution-to-the-next-level.
Casey, Kevin. “How to Explain Robotic Process Automation (RPA) in Plain English.” The Enterprisers Project, 30 July 2020, enterprisersproject.com/article/2019/5/rpa-robotic-process-automation-how-explain.
Duncan, Brad, and Kasia Lundy. “How Universities Are Using Robotic Process Automation.” EY, EY, 26 Feb. 2021, www.ey.com/en_us/government-public-sector/how-universities-are-using-robotic-process-automation.